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Although degenerative disc disease (DDD) and related low back pain (LBP) are growing public health problems, the underlying disease mechanisms remain unclear. An increase in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in DDD has been reported. This study aimed to examine the role of VEGF receptors (VEGFRs) in DDD, using a mouse model of DDD. Progressive DDD was induced by anterior stabbing of lumbar intervertebral discs in wild type (WT) and VEGFR‐1 tyrosine‐kinase deficient mice (vegfr‐1TK−/−). Pain assessments were performed weekly for 12 weeks. Histological and immunohistochemical assessments were made for discs, dorsal root ganglions, and spinal cord. Both vegfr‐1TK−/− and WT mice presented with similar pathological changes in discs with an increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and matrix‐degrading enzymes. Despite the similar pathological patterns, vegfr‐1TK−/− mice showed insensitivity to pain compared with WT mice. This insensitivity to discogenic pain was related to lower levels of pain factors in the discs and peripheral sensory neurons and lower spinal glial activation in the vegfr‐1TK−/− mice than in the WT mice. Exogenous stimulation of bovine disc cells with VEGF increased inflammatory and cartilage degrading enzyme. Silencing vegfr‐1 by small‐interfering‐RNA decreased VEGF‐induced expression of pain markers, while silencing vegfr‐2 decreased VEGF‐induced expression of inflammatory and metabolic markers without changing pain markers. This suggests the involvement of VEGFR‐1 signaling specifically in pain transmission. Collectively, our results indicate that the VEGF signaling is involved in DDD. Particularly, VEGFR‐1 is critical for discogenic LBP transmission independent of the degree of disc pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Positive gut microbiota modulation may confer numerous health benefits to the host. • Evidence supports the link between the gut microbiome and development of OA. • Microbiota-based strategies can be used to improve treatment outcomes in OA. Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common medical conditions affecting > 300 million people globally which represents the formidable public health challenge. Despite its clinical and financial ramifications, there are currently no approved disease modifying OA drugs available and symptom palliation is the only alternative. Currently, the amount of data on the human intestinal microbiome is growing at a high rate, both in health and in various pathological conditions. With an increase in the amount of the accumulated data, there is an expanded understanding that the microbiome provides compelling evidence of a link between the gut microbiome and development of OA. The microbiota management tools of probiotics and/or prebiotics or symbiotic have been developed and indeed, commercialized over the past few decades with the expressed purpose of altering the microbiota within the gastrointestinal tract which could be a potentially novel intervention to tackle or prevent OA. However, the mechanisms how intestinal microbiota affects the OA pathogenesis are still not clear and further research targeting specific gut microbiota or its metabolites is still needed to advance OA treatment strategies from symptomatic management to individualized interventions of OA pathogenesis. This article provides an overview of the various preclinical and clinical studies using probiotics and prebiotics as plausible therapeutic options that can restore the gastrointestinal microbiota and its impact on the OA pathogenesis. May be in the near future the targeted alterations of gut microbiota may pave the way for developing new interventions to prevent and treat OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]