{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]],"date-time":"2026-09-18T06:49:06Z","timestamp":1789714146382,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"15","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,6]],"date-time":"2025-08-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1754438400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Acad. A. I. Nesterov Department of Faculty Therapy, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University","award":["04200729490"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["04200729490"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a major cause of chronic low back pain (LBP), yet the molecular mechanisms driving disc degeneration and pain remain poorly understood. This study analyzed intervertebral disc (IVD) tissue from 36 young patients (median age = 36.00 [31.00, 42.50] years) with herniated discs and LBP, alongside healthy controls, to investigate changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and neurochemical alterations. Disc degeneration was assessed using MRI (Pfirrmann grading) and histology (Sive\u2019s criteria). Histochemical and immunohistochemical methods were used to evaluate aggrecan content, calcification, and the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF), substance P (SP), and S-100 protein. MRI findings included Pfirrmann grades V (30.55%), IV (61.11%), III (5.56%), and II (2.78%). Severe histological degeneration (10\u201312 points) was observed in three patients. Aggrecan depletion correlated with longer pain duration (r = 0.449, p = 0.031). NGF expression was significantly elevated in degenerated discs (p = 0.0287) and strongly correlated with SP (r = 0.785, p = 5.268 \u00d7 10\u22129). Free nerve endings were identified in 5 cases. ECM calcification, present in 36.1% of patients, was significantly associated with radiculopathy (r = 0.664, p = 0.005). The observed co-localization of NGF and SP suggests a synergistic role in pain development. These results indicate that in young individuals, aggrecan loss, neurochemical imbalance, and ECM calcification are key contributors to DDD and chronic LBP.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms26157592","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,6]],"date-time":"2025-08-06T10:13:51Z","timestamp":1754475231000},"page":"7592","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Chronic Low Back Pain in Young Adults: Pathophysiological Aspects of Neuroinflammation and Degeneration"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"given":"Natalya G.","family":"Pravdyuk","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Acad. A. I. Nesterov Department of Faculty Therapy, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 1, Ostrovityanova St., 117997 Moscow, Russia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7894-9222","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anastasiia A.","family":"Buianova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research and Educational Resource Centre for Immunophenotyping, Digital Spatial Profiling and Ultrastructural Analysis Innovative Technologies, Patrice Lumumba Peoples\u2019 Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6, Miklukho-Maklaya St., 117198 Moscow, Russia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8104-9791","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna V.","family":"Novikova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Acad. A. I. Nesterov Department of Faculty Therapy, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 1, Ostrovityanova St., 117997 Moscow, Russia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7410-9784","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alesya A.","family":"Klimenko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Acad. A. I. Nesterov Department of Faculty Therapy, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 1, Ostrovityanova St., 117997 Moscow, Russia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mikhail A.","family":"Ignatyuk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research and Educational Resource Centre for Immunophenotyping, Digital Spatial Profiling and Ultrastructural Analysis Innovative Technologies, Patrice Lumumba Peoples\u2019 Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6, Miklukho-Maklaya St., 117198 Moscow, Russia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Liubov A.","family":"Malykhina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research and Educational Resource Centre for Immunophenotyping, Digital Spatial Profiling and Ultrastructural Analysis Innovative Technologies, Patrice Lumumba Peoples\u2019 Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6, Miklukho-Maklaya St., 117198 Moscow, Russia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Olga I.","family":"Patsap","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research and Educational Resource Centre for Immunophenotyping, Digital Spatial Profiling and Ultrastructural Analysis Innovative Technologies, Patrice Lumumba Peoples\u2019 Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6, Miklukho-Maklaya St., 117198 Moscow, Russia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8347-4556","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dmitrii A.","family":"Atiakshin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research and Educational Resource Centre for Immunophenotyping, Digital Spatial Profiling and Ultrastructural Analysis Innovative Technologies, Patrice Lumumba Peoples\u2019 Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6, Miklukho-Maklaya St., 117198 Moscow, Russia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vitaliy T.","family":"Timofeev","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Scientific Research Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 1, Ostrovityanova St., 117997 Moscow, Russia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nadezhda A.","family":"Shostak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Acad. A. I. Nesterov Department of Faculty Therapy, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 1, Ostrovityanova St., 117997 Moscow, Russia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"403","DOI":"10.1007\/s12306-024-00828-y","article-title":"Prognostic Factors for Return to Work in Patients Affected by Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review","volume":"108","author":"Russo","year":"2024","journal-title":"Musculoskelet. 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