Our back? A battlefield where the zombie cells sow pain and devastation. It is not the beginning of a horror film (or is it?), but what emerges from a revolutionary research of theMcGill University. How many times have we heard that the backache Is it “normal with age”? How many people live with this daily torment, masking it with painkillers that treat the symptom but ignore the cause? The answer comes from a new study which points the finger at zombie cells (technically called “senescent cells”) that accumulate in the spinal discs. These cells, instead of dying as expected by the natural cycle, remain alive in a dysfunctional state, producing inflammatory substances that damage the surrounding tissue and generate the chronic pain that torments millions of people.
The Real Cause of Chronic Pain
Senescent cells are the hidden enemy we have ignored for too long. What strikes me most is the fact that these cells (I want to clarify this because the term “zombie” may seem a bit sensationalistic, but it conveys the idea well) do not follow the normal cellular life cycle. They do not die when they should, and instead of being useful to the body, they become real factories of inflammation.
These zombie cells accumulate in the spinal discs as a result of aging or when the discs are damaged. And once there, they wreak havoc: They release inflammatory chemicals, cause persistent pain, and further damage the spine. It's a particularly nasty vicious cycle, which explains why regular painkillers only offer temporary relief.
Our research is exciting because it suggests that we may be able to treat back pain in a completely new way – by removing the cells that cause the problem, not simply masking the pain.
These words of Lisbet Haglund, professor at the Department of Surgery of the McGill and co-director of the Orthopedic Research Laboratory at theMontreal General Hospital (MUHC), encapsulate the revolutionary essence of this approach.
Drugs That Eliminate Zombie Cells
The study, conducted at theAlan Edwards Center for Research on Pain ofMontreal General Hospital, part of the MUHC, explored the use of two drugs: theortho-vanillin (a natural compound) and theRG-7112 (an anticancer drug approved by the US FDA).
The research team administered these drugs orally to mice, both separately and in combination. The results? Frankly surprising. These real drugs senolytics they managed to eliminate the zombie cells from the spine, reduce pain and inflammation, and even slow or reverse damage to spinal discs after just eight weeks of treatment. Each drug had a beneficial effect, but the impact was greater when they were given together. It's as if researchers have found the perfect formula for this difficult-to-treat problem.
The incredible potential of a natural compound
The inclusion of ortho-vanillin in the study was almost by chance, which makes the discovery even more fascinating. Haglund explained that while testing other drugs, her team decided to add this compound, derived from turmeric and known for its anti-inflammatory properties, to see if it could be effective in this situation.
The findings offer some of the first evidence that ortho-vanillin can eliminate zombie cells. RG-7112 analogues have been known to do this in osteoarthritis and cancer research, but they have never been used to treat back pain. It’s great that one of the potential cure-all drugs is a natural compound. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most effective solutions can already be found in nature, just waiting to be discovered or applied in new ways.
Future prospects for zombie cells
Looking ahead, Haglund's team will work to improve the structure of o-Vanillin to help it stay in the body longer and become even more effective. They believe these drugs have the potential to treat other age-related diseases caused by senescent cells, such asarthritis or osteoporosis.
The most exciting thing about this research is that it could transform the way we treat chronic low back pain for millions of people around the world. Instead of simply masking symptoms, these drugs could address the root cause of the problem. And to think that it all started with the accidental addition of a natural compound to a study…sometimes the most important discoveries happen when we least expect them. In the meantime, backs everywhere, including mine, wait patiently (but hurry) for this promising research to translate into treatments available to all of us.
