Targeting advanced glycation end products: potential therapeutic approaches for mitigating diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration?

Diabetes mellitus is strongly associated with accelerated intervertebral disc degeneration, a condition that significantly contributes to lower back pain and reduced quality of life. Emerging evidence indicates that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are key mediators in the pathophysiology of d...

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Main Authors: Luyang Wang, Qipeng Shao, Haiyang Wu, Cheng Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Endocrinology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1618984/full
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author Luyang Wang
Qipeng Shao
Haiyang Wu
Cheng Li
Cheng Li
author_facet Luyang Wang
Qipeng Shao
Haiyang Wu
Cheng Li
Cheng Li
author_sort Luyang Wang
collection DOAJ
description Diabetes mellitus is strongly associated with accelerated intervertebral disc degeneration, a condition that significantly contributes to lower back pain and reduced quality of life. Emerging evidence indicates that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are key mediators in the pathophysiology of disc degeneration through the stimulation of inflammatory pathways, promotion of oxidative stress, and induction of extracellular matrix modifications. This review critically examines current literature on the role of AGEs in diabetic disc degeneration and evaluates potential therapeutic interventions aimed at mitigating these deleterious effects. Targeting AGEs represents a promising therapeutic avenue to mitigate diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration. The current evidence supports the rationale for further investigation into AGE inhibitors, cross-link breakers, and receptor for AGEs modulators as potential treatment strategies. However, to translate these findings into clinical practice, well-designed clinical trials are required to validate the efficacy and safety of these interventions, as well as to optimize treatment protocols.
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spelling doaj-art-98a78343c0d6400a8086343de04f325c2025-08-20T03:33:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Endocrinology1664-23922025-07-011610.3389/fendo.2025.16189841618984Targeting advanced glycation end products: potential therapeutic approaches for mitigating diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration?Luyang Wang0Qipeng Shao1Haiyang Wu2Cheng Li3Cheng Li4Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, ChinaDepartment of Orthopaedics, Ganzhou People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, ChinaDepartment of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, ChinaDepartment of Spine Surgery, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, ChinaCenter for Musculoskeletal Surgery (CMSC), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyDiabetes mellitus is strongly associated with accelerated intervertebral disc degeneration, a condition that significantly contributes to lower back pain and reduced quality of life. Emerging evidence indicates that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are key mediators in the pathophysiology of disc degeneration through the stimulation of inflammatory pathways, promotion of oxidative stress, and induction of extracellular matrix modifications. This review critically examines current literature on the role of AGEs in diabetic disc degeneration and evaluates potential therapeutic interventions aimed at mitigating these deleterious effects. Targeting AGEs represents a promising therapeutic avenue to mitigate diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration. The current evidence supports the rationale for further investigation into AGE inhibitors, cross-link breakers, and receptor for AGEs modulators as potential treatment strategies. However, to translate these findings into clinical practice, well-designed clinical trials are required to validate the efficacy and safety of these interventions, as well as to optimize treatment protocols.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1618984/fulladvanced glycation end productsdiabetes mellitusintervertebral disc degenerationtherapeutic targetAGEs
spellingShingle Luyang Wang
Qipeng Shao
Haiyang Wu
Cheng Li
Cheng Li
Targeting advanced glycation end products: potential therapeutic approaches for mitigating diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration?
Frontiers in Endocrinology
advanced glycation end products
diabetes mellitus
intervertebral disc degeneration
therapeutic target
AGEs
title Targeting advanced glycation end products: potential therapeutic approaches for mitigating diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration?
title_full Targeting advanced glycation end products: potential therapeutic approaches for mitigating diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration?
title_fullStr Targeting advanced glycation end products: potential therapeutic approaches for mitigating diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration?
title_full_unstemmed Targeting advanced glycation end products: potential therapeutic approaches for mitigating diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration?
title_short Targeting advanced glycation end products: potential therapeutic approaches for mitigating diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration?
title_sort targeting advanced glycation end products potential therapeutic approaches for mitigating diabetic intervertebral disc degeneration
topic advanced glycation end products
diabetes mellitus
intervertebral disc degeneration
therapeutic target
AGEs
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1618984/full
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