RESUMEN
Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is an age-related degenerative disease and a major cause of low back pain. IDD greatly impairs the quality of life of patients and dramatically increases the economic burden of patient families. There are currently no effective intervention and treatment for IDD, partly due to a lack of understanding of its pathogenesis. The establishment and characterization of IDD animal models are critical for defining mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis. IDD is a complex process, which is affected by mechanical stress, injury, biochemistry and gene expression. In this review article, we summarize several IDD animal models generated by utilizing abnormal mechanical stress, injury, biochemical and chemical induction and gene knockout. Biomechanics play a key role in maintaining intervertebral disc homeostasis, and abnormal mechanical stress can cause IDD. Usually, IDD is accompanied by structural injury which exacerbates IDD. In addition, biochemical and chemical induction and knockout of key genes can also lead to IDD. Among the different factors causing abnormal mechanical stress, there are two mechanical stress models: pressure model and instability model. According to the structure of intervertebral disc, there are two structural injury models: the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus injury model and the cartilage endplate injury model. The biochemical and chemical induction model and the gene knockout model are summarized, and the applications and limitations of different IDD animal models are discussed.
RESUMEN
Periostin (POSTN), an evolutionary conserved and secreted extracellular matrix protein, can be easily detected by humoral samples such as blood, urine, interstitial fluid etc., which was firstly found in bone tissues.POSTN is expressed in various tissues and its expression level is closely related to oc¬currence and development of various diseases, which will be a potential molecular marker in early diagnosis of diseases.'Hie paper systematically summarizes the relationship of the expres¬ sion level of POSTN and some diseases including myocardial in¬farction, vascular calcification, diseases related to bone metabo¬lism, chronic nephrosis and various cancers, and explores its function as well as mechanism, which provides scientific basis for the early diagnostic kits or new drug development of diseases based on POSTN.
RESUMEN
Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), the main protein component of high density lipoprotein (HDL) , which plays a key role in the process of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) , is considered as an important anti-atherosclerosis (As) drug target. ApoA- I mimic peptides developed based on its a-helix, and HDL mimic peptides that developed by recombinant ApoA- I have entered clinical trials, exhibiting favorable RCT promotion and anli-As activity. The paper reviewed the advances in the structure and function of ApoA- I , the molecular interaction mechanism between ApoA-1 and ABCA1 ( ATP-binding cassette transporter Al) , LCAT (lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase) and SR-B1 (scavenger receptor class B type 1) , and anti- As activity of ApoA- I mimic peptides, which would provide references for anli-As new drug development based on ApoA- I mimic peptides.