Intervertebral disc impairment in Type 2 diabetes?

Low back pain is a pathology commonly associated with Type 2 diabetes. The pathophysiological mechanism underlying this link was unclear, but researchers have just published some interesting results...

Intervertebral discs are located between the majority of vertebrae. They act as 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 and help to 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 between the vertebrae and the spine. They comprise a fibrous ring of fibro-cartilaginous lamellae and a central, transparent, and elastic gelatinous structure. Their thickness varies between 3 and 12mm, depending on their location. Many pathologies involve intervertebral discs, such as 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚, 𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐠𝐨, 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐬, etc. 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 of the discs can be present in 𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝟐 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬, but the precise mechanism underlying this phenomenon remained unknown until now.

Researchers at the University of San Diego have shown in a rat model of Type 2 diabetes that the 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 is enabled by nanoscale deformation mechanisms of collagen fibrils. In Type 2 diabetes, this 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝, leading to embrittlement of the collagen fibrils and a reduced ability to withstand compression.

Although these results were obtained in an animal model, they will certainly contribute to the future development of 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 for Type 2 diabetes patients and, in particular, for those who also suffer from back problems.