Alternative treatments for disc degeneration: Effects on matrix homeostasis

椎间盘退变的特征是椎间盘高度的进行性丢失与水分的丢失有关 含量和蛋白多糖。参与这一过程的关键机制包括炎症和机械 应力从生物学上讲，CAM疗法，如瑜伽或营养补充剂，可能会发挥作用， 它们通过这些途径对脊柱的有益作用。这项研究的基本目标是 研究基于运动的治疗效果背后的机制，如瑜伽，和口腔 补充剂，包括葡萄糖胺，软骨素和omega-3脂肪酸，对基质平衡的影响 通过使用体外和体内系统，这项工作的直接影响是在 证明了机械负荷和营养补充剂对椎间融合器的生物学效应， 使用细胞培养和动物模型系统。这将为我们提供一个强大的实验平台 我们可以用它来测试各种额外的负荷模式以及营养补充剂的效果 椎间盘基质内环境稳定性在阐明受影响的生化途径后，未来的研究将 将模型系统与基于CAM运动的治疗相关的人体脊柱运动学相关联。这将 导致能够将这些发现转化为更机械地指导临床研究， 有针对性的治疗，这代表了候选人的长期目标。这项工作和专业知识 通过拟议的培训计划获得的信息将作为研究计划的初始构建模块， CAM问题可以在分子、组织和整个生物体水平上解决。 相关性（参见说明）： 在2004年CDC的一份报告中，腰痛被确定为患者最常见的疾病， 寻求替代疗法，如瑜伽和口服补充剂。最有效地利用这些干预措施 因此，了解这些疗法如何促进其效果至关重要。这个的目标 研究是为了了解运动疗法的效果，如瑜伽，和口服补充剂， 包括葡糖胺、软骨素和ω-3脂肪酸。

Intervertebral disc degeneration is characterized by progressive loss of disc height related to loss of water content and proteoglycans. Key mechanisms involved in this process include inflammatory and mechanical stress. It is biologically plausible that CAM therapies, such as yoga or nutritional supplements, may exert their beneficial actions on the spine through these pathways. The fundamental goals of this research are to investigate the mechanisms behind the effects of motion based therapies, such as yoga, and oral supplements, including glusosamine, chondroitin, and omega-3 fatty acids, on matrix balance in the intervertebral disc through use of both in vitro and in vivo systems. The immediate impact of this work is in demonstrating the biologic effects of mechanical loading and nutritional supplements on the intervertebral disc using cell culture and animal model systems. This will provide us with a powerful experimental platform with which we can test the effect of various additional loading paradigms as well as nutritional supplements on disc matrix homeostasis. Upon elucidation of the effected biochemical pathways, future studies will correlate the model systems to human spine kinematics relevant to CAM motion based therapies. This will result in the ability to translate these findings into more mechanistically directed clinical studies and rationally targeted therapeutics, which represents the long term goal of the candidate. This work and the expertise gained through the proposed training plan will serve as initial building blocks for a research program in which CAM questions can be addressed at the molecular, tissue, and whole organism level. RELEVANCE (See instructions): In a CDC report from 2004, low back pain was identified as the most common condition for which patients sought alternative treatments such as yoga and oral supplements. To utilize these interventions most effectively, it is critical to understand how these therapies are facilitating their effects. The goals of this research are to understand the effects of motion based therapies, such as yoga, and oral supplements, including glusosamine, chondroitin, and omega-3 fatty acids, on the cartilage of the spine.