Researchers at McGill University in Canada have developed a new therapeutic approach targeting the underlying cause of chronic lower back pain, a problem that affects millions of people worldwide.
The treatment involves the use of two drugs that target senescent cells, also known as "zombie cells." The accumulation of these cells in the spinal discs, due to aging or injury, causes chronic inflammation and bone damage, becoming a major cause of persistent pain. Unlike normal cells, which die, zombie cells remain alive and harm the surrounding tissues.
In this study, laboratory mice were given two drugs orally:
- o-Vanillin: a natural compound extracted from turmeric, known for its anti-inflammatory properties.
- RG-7112: A drug in clinical trials and approved by the FDA for use in cancer research.
Used alone or in combination, these drugs showed a significant reduction in inflammation and pain, as well as a slowing or even reversal of spinal disc degeneration, after eight weeks of treatment. The combination of the two treatments proved particularly effective.
Professor Lisbet Haglund, principal investigator and professor of surgery at McGill University, said:
"Our results pave the way for treating chronic back pain by targeting the cells responsible for pain, rather than simply masking the symptoms."
The researchers clarified that o-vanillin was not included in the initial protocol, but was added experimentally. Its ability to eliminate zombie cells proved as surprising as it was promising.
The team is now working to improve the formulation of o-vanillin to extend its duration of action in the body and increase its effectiveness, with a view to moving into human clinical trials. The researchers hope this breakthrough could also pave the way for treatments for other diseases linked to the accumulation of senescent cells, such as arthritis and osteoporosis.
