A Stable Hydrogel Scaffold with Anti-Inflammatory Effects Treats Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD) has become a global health issue; however, effective treatment remains undeveloped. Although the potential curative effect of resveratrol (Res) on IDD has been reported, the explosive release and rapid disappearance of Res in lesions seriously limit its use. In this study, Res was loaded into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) by emulsification and cryogenic coagulation, and Res-SLNs/gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) composite hydrogel scaffolds were designed by GelMA hydrogel encapsulation to improve the stability of therapeutic disc degeneration. In vitro studies demonstrated that Res-SLNs can inhibit nucleus pulposus (NP; major IVD cell) apoptosis by upregulating the expression of anabolic proteins. In vivo studies showed that the Res-SLNs/GelMA hydrogel scaffold improved the pinning-induced IDD model in rats and restored the stability of the IVD extracellular matrix (ECM). Our experiments consistently show that implantation of this scaffold can improve the inflammatory microenvironment, reduce the degeneration of NP cells, and reinforce the disc function repair effect. Therefore, the Res-SLNs/GelMA hydrogel scaffold has great application prospects for treating IDD.