ArticleStem cell research & therapy2025
Enhanced disc regeneration through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated SOX9 and TGFβ1 coexpression in tonsil-derived mesenchymal stromal cells.
Article in Stem cell research & therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- A Challenge-Oriented Review of Delivery Systems for Cell and Gene Therapies in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Stem cell-based strategies for intervertebral disc regeneration in degenerative microenvironments: challenges and solutions.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundIntervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, a primary cause of chronic low back pain, currently lacks treatments that target its underlying pathological mechanisms. Tonsil-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ToMSCs) have shown promise for IVD regeneration; however, their therapeutic potential is limited by the harsh microenvironment of degenerated discs. This study investigated whether ToMSCs engineered to co‐overexpress SOX9 and TGFβ1 using a tetracycline‐off (Tet‐off) regulatory system could enhance extracellular matrix (ECM) restoration and reduce inflammation in degenerative IVDs.
methodsWe used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate ToMSCs that express SOX9, TGFβ1, or both factors under Tet-off regulation. Gene expression was confirmed by Western blot and qRT-PCR analyses. In vitro studies assessed chondrogenic differentiation capacity, while in vivo assessments were performed using a rat tail needle puncture model of IVD degeneration. After administering the CRISPR-engineered ToMSCs, we monitored mechanical allodynia with the von Frey test over six weeks. Therapeutic outcomes were evaluated through T2‐weighted MRI and histological analysis.
resultsIn vitro experiments showed that ToMSCs co-expressing SOX9 and TGFβ1 exhibited superior chondrogenic differentiation compared to cells expressing a single factor. In vivo studies demonstrated that dual-factor expressing ToMSCs significantly improved disc hydration (as confirmed by MRI), enhanced ECM synthesis—particularly aggrecan and type II collagen—and reduced inflammation compared to single-factor treatments. These improvements were accompanied by reduced mechanical allodynia, indicating functional recovery.
conclusionOur study demonstrates that ToMSCs engineered to co-express SOX9 and TGFβ1 effectively promote IVD regeneration by enhancing ECM production and reducing inflammation. This dual-factor approach represents a promising therapeutic strategy for treating degenerative disc disease and warrants further investigation for clinical application.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.