They began the treatments in young, middle-age, and older mice (6, 14, and 18 months of age) to examine when it might have the most benefit. The researchers injected mice with a combination of dasatinib and quercetin each week. Results appeared in Nature Communications on September 3, 2021.
#SPINE DISC SKIN#
The study was funded by NIH’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and National Institute on Aging (NIA). The research team theorized that eliminating these cells might slow damage to spinal discs. Past studies have found increased levels of senescent cells during disc aging and degeneration. Senescent cells accumulate with age and are thought to play a role in many age-related diseases. They remain active and can release signals that trigger inflammation, along with enzymes that damage healthy cells nearby. Senescent cells permanently stop dividing but do not die. Both drugs are senolytics, which selectively remove aged cells known as senescent cells. Makarand Risbud of Thomas Jefferson University tested whether treatment with the drugs dasatinib and quercetin would prevent disc degeneration in mice. There are currently no treatments to stop disc degeneration.Ī research team led by Dr. But the discs degenerate with age, and chronic back pain is common among older adults. These cushion the spine, maintain flexibility, and help absorb the pressure of movement. It often results from the degeneration of discs between vertebrae in the spine. fizkes / Shutterstockīack pain is a leading cause of long-term disability. Discs between vertebrae in the spine degenerate with age and are a common cause of chronic back pain among older adults.