{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T01:35:52Z","timestamp":1790645752210,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":72,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,26]],"date-time":"2021-02-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1614297600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"ECM Diagnostics, Inc.","award":["None"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["None"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Previously, we proposed the hypothesis that similarities in the inflammatory response observed in acne vulgaris and degenerative disc disease (DDD), especially the central role of interleukin (IL)-1\u03b2, may be further evidence of the role of the anaerobic bacterium Cutibacterium (previously Propionibacterium) acnes in the underlying aetiology of disc degeneration. To investigate this, we examined the upregulation of IL-1\u03b2, and other known IL-1\u03b2-induced inflammatory markers and neurotrophic factors, from nucleus-pulposus-derived disc cells infected in vitro with C. acnes for up to 48 h. Upon infection, significant upregulation of IL-1\u03b2, alongside IL-6, IL-8, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 3 (CCL3), chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 4 (CCL4), nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), was observed with cells isolated from the degenerative discs of eight patients versus non-infected controls. Expression levels did, however, depend on gene target, multiplicity and period of infection and, notably, donor response. Pre-treatment of cells with clindamycin prior to infection significantly reduced the production of pro-inflammatory mediators. This study confirms that C. acnes can stimulate the expression of IL-1\u03b2 and other host molecules previously associated with pathological changes in disc tissue, including neo-innervation. While still controversial, the role of C. acnes in DDD remains biologically credible, and its ability to cause disease likely reflects a combination of factors, particularly individualised response to infection.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms22052347","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,26]],"date-time":"2021-02-26T09:47:20Z","timestamp":1614332840000},"page":"2347","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":24,"title":["Pro-Inflammatory and Neurotrophic Factor Responses of Cells Derived from Degenerative Human Intervertebral Discs to the Opportunistic Pathogen Cutibacterium acnes"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"given":"Manu N.","family":"Capoor","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Konieczna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9649-0504","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrew","family":"McDowell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Filip","family":"Ruzicka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne\u2019s University Hospital, Masaryk University, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9191-8700","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martin","family":"Smrcka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Brno, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Radim","family":"Jancalek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosurgery, St. Anne\u2019s University Hospital, Masaryk University, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karel","family":"Maca","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Brno, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michael","family":"Lujc","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital Brno, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fahad S.","family":"Ahmed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1632-3616","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christof","family":"Birkenmaier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Munich, 80331 Munich, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7351-713X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stefan","family":"Dudli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre of Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland"},{"name":"Department of Physical Medicine and Rheumatology, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ondrej","family":"Slaby","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic"},{"name":"Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 601 77 Brno, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1097\/00007632-199501000-00003","article-title":"Physician office visits for low back pain. 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