SIRT5-related desuccinylation modification of AIFM1 protects against compression-induced intervertebral disc degeneration by regulating mitochondrial homeostasis

Experimental & Molecular Medicine, Published online: 18 January 2023; doi:10.1038/s12276-023-00928-yInvestigation of a mitochondrial protein linked with intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) provides possible therapeutic targets for lower back pain. Intervertebral discs act as shock absorbers in the spine, and excessive load over time can cause disc degeneration and pain. Liu Yang and Zhuojing Luo at Fourth Military Medical University in Xi’an, China, and co-workers analyzed the effect of excessive mechanical load on protein expression in IDD samples from human patients and rodent models. The sirtuin 5 (SIRT5) protein helps maintain healthy mitochondria, a key factor in protecting against disc degeneration. The team found that SIRT5 expression was reduced in IDD, which affected the activity of another protein and directly led to mitochondrial dysfunction and disc degeneration. Upregulating SIRT5 alleviated compression-induced IDD in rat models. Targeting the protein may prove useful for future treatments.

Source: Experimental and Molecular Medicine - January 18, 2023 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Jianxin Mao Di Wang Dong Wang Qi Wu Qiliang Shang Chu Gao Huanbo Wang Han Wang Mu Du Pandi Peng Haoruo Jia Xiaolong Xu Jie Wang Liu Yang Zhuojing Luo Source Type: research