Cow Slime Can Help Disc Herniation Patients After Surgery: Study
Researchers at Uppsala University have developed a gel inspired by cow slime for patients suffering from disc herniation. By adding the mucin gel immediately after surgery, it is possible to create a protective barrier around the discs to prevent the immune system from attacking their nucleus pulposus. This keeps the discs intact and reduces the risk of further damage.
“This new approach offers hope for those suffering from back pain caused by disc herniation and may prevent further damage after removing herniated discs, potentially improving the quality of life for the patients,” says Hongji Yan, researcher at the Department of Medical Cell Biology at Uppsala University and AIMES (Center for the Advancement of Integrated Medical and Engineering Sciences) at Karolinska Institutet, whose study was recently published in Advanced Science.
In a new study, researchers explored an innovative solution for post-surgery care aimed at preventing further damage after the surgical removal of herniated discs. They developed a synthetic mucin gel, inspired by the mucus coating of certain parasites, which suppresses immune cell activation at infection sites to prevent immune cell recognition. When applied to the surgical site, this gel prevents further disc damage by stopping immune cells from attacking the nucleus pulposus of intervertebral discs, thanks to its immune-suppressive properties. In contrast, traditional physical barriers like alginate gels failed to provide this level of protection, as demonstrated in the study.
“This approach could have a major impact on surgical procedures, as a simple injection of mucin gels at the surgical site could improve patient outcomes, reduce the risk of long-term complications, and increase the overall success rate of disc surgery,” Hongji Yan concludes.
Reference: Wang, H., Chen, S., Liu, Z., Meng, Q., Sobreiro-Almeida, R., Liu, L., Haugen, H. J., Li, J., Mano, J. F., Hong, Y., Crouzier, T., Yan, H., & Li, B. (2024). Preserving the immune-privileged niche of the nucleus pulposus: Safeguarding intervertebral discs from degeneration after discectomy with synthetic mucin hydrogel injection. Advanced Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202404496
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