ArticleJOR spine2026
Galectin-4: A Novel Mediator of Human Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.
Article in JOR spine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is associated with severe clinical symptoms including chronic back pain. Galectins are a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins, some of which can induce functional disease markers in IVD cells and other musculoskeletal tissues. Galectin-4 and -8 were shown to trigger disease-promoting activity in chondrocytes, but their effects on IVD cells have not been investigated yet. Methods: IVD specimens from 36 patients with spondylosis, spondylolisthesis, and scoliosis were assessed immunohistochemically for the presence of galectin-4 and -8. The degrees of radiological (Pfirrmann grade) and histopathological (Rutges score) degeneration of all specimens were correlated with histological galectin scores. To assess galectin functions, separate cell cultures of annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) ( Results: The immunohistochemical presence of galectin-4 in IVD specimens correlated with histopathological and clinical degeneration scores of patients, whereas galectin-8 did not show significant correlations. Both galectins were detected across IVD compartments except for the endplate. In vitro, both galectins activated the nuclear factor-kB pathway and induced functional disease markers (Interleukin-8 (CXCL8) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3) mRNA). NP cells were more responsive to galectins and IL-1β than AF cells, indicating region-specific differences in galectin sensitivity. Conclusion: This study identifies galectin-4 as a novel molecular player in the pathogenesis of IVD degeneration.
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