ArticleArthritis research & therapy2025
Proteomic profiling of human plasma and intervertebral disc tissue reveals matrisomal, but not plasma, biomarkers of disc degeneration.
Article in Arthritis research & therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Mapping the degenerating intervertebral disc: a systematic review of histological evidence.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Biomaterials for intervertebral disc regeneration: Niche reprogramming, precision therapeutics, and structural reconstruction.Bioactive materials · 2027Review
- Proteomic signature of human annulus fibrosus and cartilage endplate: divergent matrisomal architectures reveal complementary roles in intervertebral disc homeostasis.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026Article
- Dynamic profiling of BMSC-dECM reveals accumulation of core matrisome proteins suppresses osteogenic differentiation and bone regeneration.Journal of advanced research · 2026Article
- EVC protein regulates Sonic hedgehog signaling during human intervertebral disc development and degeneration.iScience · 2026Article
- Review
- Do microenvironmental changes in degenerative disc disease reflect in systemic circulation? A proteomic investigation.Clinical proteomics · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundIntervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is a common cause of low back pain, and the most symptomatic patients with neural compression need surgical intervention to relieve symptoms. Current techniques used to diagnose IVD degeneration, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), do not detect changes in the tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) as degeneration progresses. Improved techniques, such as a combination of tissue and blood biomarkers, are needed to monitor the progression of IVD degeneration for more effective treatment plans.
methodsTo identify tissue and blood biomarkers associated with degeneration progression, we histologically graded 35 adult human degenerate IVD tissues and matched plasma from the individuals into two groups: mild degenerate and severe degenerate. Mass spectrometry was utilised to characterise proteomic differences in tissue and plasma between the two groups. Top differentially distributed proteins were further validated using immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR. Additionally, correlational analyses were conducted to define similarities and differences between tissue and plasma protein changes in individuals with mild and severe IVD degeneration.
resultsOur data revealed that the abundance of 31 proteins was significantly increased in severe degenerated IVD tissues compared to mild. Functional analyses showed that more than 40% of these proteins were matrisome-related, indicating differences in ECM protein composition between severe and mild degenerate IVD tissues. We confirmed adipocyte enhancer-binding protein 1 (AEBP1) as one of the most significantly enriched core matrisome genes and proteins as degeneration progressed. Compared to others, AEBP1 protein levels best distinguished between mild and severe degenerated IVD tissues with an area under the curve score of 0.768 (95% CI: 0.60-0.93). However, we found that protein changes from associated plasma exhibited a weak relationship with histological grading and AEBP1 tissue levels. Given that systemic plasma changes are complex, a larger sample cohort may be required to identify patterns in blood relating to IVD degeneration progression.
conclusionsIn this study, we have identified AEBP1 as a tissue marker for monitoring the severity of disc degeneration in humans. Further work to link alterations in tissue AEBP1 levels to changes in blood-related proteins will be beneficial for detailed monitoring of IVD degeneration thereby enabling more personalised treatment approaches.
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