In a recent study published in Biomaterials , researchers developed a novel non-viral gene therapy for discogenic back pain (DBP) by delivering a developmental-type transcription factor, Forkhead Box F1 (FOXF1), using engineered extracellular vesicles (eEVs) to the degenerative intervertebral disc (IVD) in vivo . Study: Engineered extracellular vesicle-based gene therapy for the treatment of discogenic back pain . Image Credit: Natali _ Mis/Shutterstok.
com Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a growing global issue due to aging populations and worsening opioid problems. Current treatments include short-term relief or expensive surgeries, highlighting the need for non-addictive and less invasive therapies. Current biological techniques, including growth factor administration, cell-based therapeutics, and viral genetic delivery treatments, can reduce degeneration in animal and human models.
However, concerns like fleeting effects, poor long-term effectiveness, and unnecessary immunogenicity and tumorigenicity may prevent direct translation. In the present study, researchers established a non-viral gene therapy for intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration using FOXF1-eEVs. The researchers transfected primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (PMEFs) with a plasmid containing FOXF1 or pCMV6 as a control and characterized eEV samples using nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA).
They assessed the effective loading of the molecular payload within eEVs using quantitative reverse transcription-polym.
