Longevity & AgingSmart Hydrogel Microspheres Target Senescent Spinal Cells to Halt Disc Degeneration
Researchers engineered injectable hydrogel microspheres loaded with apoptotic extracellular vesicles (ApoEVs) to combat intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), a condition increasingly common in aging populations. The vesicles were modified with peptides that target senescent nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) and respond to oxidative stress signals. They deliver GPX4, a critical protein that suppresses ferroptosis — a form of iron-dependent cell death linked to NPC senescence. Combined with the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac sodium, the system reduced ferroptosis, reversed metabolic dysfunction in aging disc cells, and curbed inflammatory signaling. Single-cell RNA sequencing confirmed the treatment prevented harmful shifts in NPC cell phenotypes, offering a promising minimally invasive therapeutic strategy for age-related disc disease.
