Potential Use of Extracellular Vesicles in the Treatment of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a major cause of low back pain, and several studies have evaluated the efficacy of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the treatment of IVDD. The databases PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched from inception to the end of 2022 to identify studies investigating the therapeutic potential of cell-derived EVs for IVDD treatment. The following outcome measures were utilized: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Pfirrmann grading system, disc height index (DHI), histological grading, and apoptosis rate. A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted, including a total of 13 articles comprising 19 studies involving 218 experimental animals. Comparative analysis between normal cell-derived EVs and placebo revealed significant reductions in MRI grade, increased DHI values, decreased nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis rates, and improved tissue grades. These findings collectively demonstrate the effective inhibition of IVDD through the application of EVs derived from cells. In conclusion, this study provides an updated synthesis of evidence supporting the efficacy of EVs as a promising therapeutic approach for IVDD treatment.