Emerging treatments
Gene therapy
Degenerative disc disease contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of lumbar spinal stenosis. Several mutations in collagen genes have been identified that may contribute to the process of continuous loss of water content resulting in degeneration of the disc.[76] Gene replacement therapy aimed at preventing desiccation of the disc may prove to be an effective strategy in the future. Investigations are currently being performed in animal models. In vitro and in vivo animal studies and early human trials are investigating biological therapies for intervertebral disc degeneration. These include therapeutic protein injection, gene based therapy, cell therapy, and tissue engineering.[77]
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