Cow slime may help disc herniation patients after surgery, suggests study

Currently, most research focuses on trying to regenerate damaged discs rather than preventing further damage. However, because discs lack blood vessels, have few cells and are subject to constant physical stress, it is very difficult to make these solutions work.

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:

Huan Wang, Song Chen, Zhao Liu, Qingchen Meng, Rita Sobreiro-Almeida, Ling Liu, Håvard Jostein Haugen, Jiaying Li, João F. Mano, Youzhi Hong, Thomas Crouzier, Hongji Yan, Bin Li, 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.