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Risbud Research

Contact

Name: Makarand V. Risbud, PhD
Position:
  • Co-Director Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Graduate Program
  • James J. Maguire, Jr. Professor in Spine Research

1025 Walnut Street
Suite 511
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Contact Number(s):

Highlighted Recent Publications

Novais EJ, Tran VA, Johnston SN, Darris KR, Roupas AJ, Sessions GA, Shapiro IM, Diekman BO, Risbud MV. Long-term treatment with senolytic drugs Dasatinib and Quercetin ameliorates age-dependent intervertebral disc degeneration in mice. Nature Commun. 2021;12(1):p.5213.

This study shows the importance of senescence as a key player in age-dependent intervertebral disc degeneration and highlights the use of senolytics to ameliorate it.

Madhu V, Boneski PB, Silagi E, Qiu Y, Kurland I, Guntur AR, Shapiro IM, Risbud MV. Hypoxic Regulation of Mitochondrial Metabolism and Mitophagy in Nucleus Pulposus Cells Is Depedent on HIF-1α-BNIP3 Axis. J Bone Miner Res. 2020;35: 1504-1524.

This study provides novel mechanistic insights into the complex interplay between hypoxia and HIF-1α signaling on the mitochondrial metabolism and quality control in NP cells. 

Novais EJ, Tran VA, Miao J, Slaver K, Sinensky A, Dyment N, Addya S, Szeri F, van de Wetering K, Shapiro IM, Risbud MV. Comparison of inbred mouse strains shows diverse phenotypic outcomes of intervertebral disc aging. Aging Cell. 2020;19(5):e13148. 

This study highlights the contribution of genetic background on disc aging and degeneration using murine models to recapitulate the wide spectrum of disc degeneration outcomes. 

Tessier S, Tran VA, Ottone OK, Novais EJ, Doolittle A, DiMuzio MJ, Shapiro IM, Risbud MV. TonEBP-deficiency accelerates intervertebral disc degeneration underscored by matrix remodeling, cytoskeletal rearrangements, and changes in proinflammatory gene expression. Matrix Biol. 2020;87:94-111. 

The results of this study provide the first in vivo support to the long-held hypothesis that TonEBP is crucial for postnatal homeostasis of the spine and controls a multitude of functions in addition to cellular osmoadaptation.

Silagi ES, Novais EJ, Bisetto S, Telonis AG, Snuggs J, Le Maitre CL, Qiu Y, Kurland IJ, Shapiro IM, Philp NJ, Risbud MV. Lactate Efflux From Intervertebral Disc Cells Is Required for Maintenance of Spine Health. J Bone Miner Res. 2020;35:550-570.

This study underscores the importance of preserving metabolic homeostasis, through coordinated H+/lactate transport through MCT4, for disc and vertebral bone health. 

Choi H, Tessier S, Silagi ES, Kyada R, Yousefi F, Pleshko N, Shapiro IM, Risbud MV. A novel mouse model of intervertebral disc degeneration shows altered cell fate and matrix homeostasis. Matrix Biol. 2018;70:102-122.

This study shows for the first time that SM/J mice exhibit spontaneous, early onset, degenerative changes in the disc that closely mimic human degeneration.

Recent Publications

A new perspective on intervertebral disc calcification—from bench to bedside

Sdc4 deletion perturbs intervertebral disc matrix homeostasis and promotes early osteopenia in the aging mouse spine

Toward understanding the cellular control of vertebrate mineralization: The potential role of mitochondria

Proteoglycan Dysfunction: A Common Link Between Intervertebral Disc Degeneration and Skeletal Dysplasia

Increased HIF-2α activity in the nucleus pulposus causes intervertebral disc degeneration in the aging mouse spine

Advancing basic and preclinical spine research: Highlights from the ORS PSRS 6th International Spine Research Symposium

Loss of function mutation in Ank causes aberrant mineralization and acquisition of osteoblast-like-phenotype by the cells of the intervertebral disc

Editorial: Intervertebral disc degeneration and osteoarthritis: mechanisms of disease and functional repair

Corrigendum: The cGAS-STING pathway affects vertebral bone but does not promote intervertebral disc cell senescence or degeneration(Front. Immunol. (2022), 13, (882407), 10.3389/fimmu.2022.882407)

GLUT1 is redundant in hypoxic and glycolytic nucleus pulposus cells of the intervertebral disc

The mitophagy receptor BNIP3 is critical for the regulation of metabolic homeostasis and mitochondrial function in the nucleus pulposus cells of the intervertebral disc

Conditional Deletion of HIF-2α in Mouse Nucleus Pulposus Reduces Fibrosis and Provides Mild and Transient Protection From Age-Dependent Structural Changes in Intervertebral Disc

The cGAS-STING Pathway Affects Vertebral Bone but Does Not Promote Intervertebral Disc Cell Senescence or Degeneration

Abcc6 Null Mice—a Model for Mineralization Disorder PXE Shows Vertebral Osteopenia Without Enhanced Intervertebral Disc Calcification With Aging

Long-term treatment with senolytic drugs Dasatinib and Quercetin ameliorates age-dependent intervertebral disc degeneration in mice

TonEBP regulates the hyperosmotic expression of aquaporin 1 and 5 in the intervertebral disc

The role of HIF proteins in maintaining the metabolic health of the intervertebral disc

Development of a standardized histopathology scoring system using machine learning algorithms for intervertebral disc degeneration in the mouse model—An ORS spine section initiative

Role of autophagy in intervertebral disc and cartilage function: implications in health and disease

Hypoxia and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Regulate Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Nucleus Pulposus Cells: Implications of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress for Extracellular Matrix Secretion

Understanding embryonic development for cell-based therapies of intervertebral disc degeneration: Toward an effort to treat disc degeneration subphenotypes

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1

Genetic murine models of spinal development and degeneration provide valuable insights into intervertebral disc pathobiology

Sox9 deletion causes severe intervertebral disc degeneration characterized by apoptosis, matrix remodeling, and compartment-specific transcriptomic changes

Hypoxic Regulation of Mitochondrial Metabolism and Mitophagy in Nucleus Pulposus Cells Is Dependent on HIF-1α–BNIP3 Axis