2. Academic Validation
  3. Injectable ECM-mimetic dynamic hydrogels abolish ferroptosis-induced post-discectomy herniation through delivering nucleus pulposus progenitor cell-derived exosomes

Injectable ECM-mimetic dynamic hydrogels abolish ferroptosis-induced post-discectomy herniation through delivering nucleus pulposus progenitor cell-derived exosomes

  • Nat Commun. 2025 Apr 1;16(1):3131. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-58447-5.
Wenkai Wang # 1 2,  Zhuo Cheng # 1,  Miao Yu 1,  Ke Liu 1,  Hongli Duan 1,  Yang Zhang 1,  Xinle Huang 1,  Menghuan Li 3,  Changqing Li 1,  Yan Hu 4,  Zhong Luo 5,  Minghan Liu 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Orthopedics, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China.
  • 2 Department of Orthopedics, General Hospital of PLA Xizang Military Area Command, Lhasa, Xizang, China.
  • 3 School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
  • 4 Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China. huyan303@cqu.edu.cn.
  • 5 School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China. luozhong918@cqu.edu.cn.
  • 6 Department of Orthopedics, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China. liuminghan@tmmu.edu.cn.
  • # Contributed equally.
PMID: 40169595 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58447-5
Abstract

Discectomy-induced Ferroptosis of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) contributes to postoperative lumbar disc herniation (LDH) recurrence and intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). We discover that nucleus pulposus progenitor cells (NPPCs) could imprint Ferroptosis resistance into NPCs through exosome-dependent intercellular transmission of miR-221-3p. Based on these findings, we first develop synthetically-tailored NPPC-derived exosomes with enhanced miR-221-3p expression and NPC uptake capacity, which are integrated into an injectable hydrogel based on extracellular matrix (ECM) analogues. The ECM-mimetic hydrogel (HACS) serves as a biomimetic filler for the post-operative care of herniated discs, which could be facilely injected into the discectomy-established nucleus pulposus (NP) cavity for localized treatment. HACS-mediated in-situ exosome release in the NP cavity enables marked Ferroptosis inhibition in NPCs that not only prevents LDH recurrence but also reverses the IDD symptoms, leading to robust restoration of NP structure and functions. In summary, this study offers a promising approach for treating disc herniation.

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