Intervertebral disc degeneration, a major cause of chronic low back pain, is caused by irreversible changes inthe nucleus pulposus cells that make up part of the disc. In recent years, regenerative medicine for intervertebraldisc degeneration through the administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cytokines has been performed. Dedifferentiated fat (DFAT) cells are MSC-like multipotent cells that can be prepared by ceiling cultureof mature adipocytes. In this study, we investigated the effect of intravenous injection of DFAT cells in a ratintervertebral disc degeneration model induced by caudal needle puncture. Radiographic analysis revealed thatintravenous administration of DFAT cells significantly suppressed the narrowing of the intervertebral disc gap.Histological examination revealed that intravenous administration of DFAT cells increased the number of microvessels surrounding the cartilage endplate and intervertebral disc cartilage matrix. Since DFAT cells can becollected and prepared in a minimally invasive procedure even in elderly individuals, DFAT may be an attractivecell source for treating intervertebral disc degeneration.
