Towards Tissue-Specific Stem Cell Therapy for the Intervertebral Disc: PPARδ Agonist Increases the Yield of Human Nucleus Pulposus Progenitor Cells in Expansion

(1) Background: Low back pain (LBP) is often associated with intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Autochthonous progenitor cells isolated from the center, i.e., nucleus pulposus, of IVD (so-called pulposus (NPPCs)) could be a future cell source for therapy. The NPPCs were also identified to positive angiopoietin-1 receptor (Tie2). Similar hematopoietic stem cells, Tie2 might involved in peroxisome proliferator-activated delta (PPARδ) agonist-induced self-renewal regulation. purpose this study was investigate whether PPARδ agonist (GW501516) increases Tie2+ NPPCs’ yield within heterogeneous (NPC) population. (2) Methods: Primary NPCs treated 10 µM GW501516 eight days. Mitochondrial mass determined by microscopy, using mitotracker red dye, and relative gene expression quantified qPCR, extracellular matrix mitophagy-related genes. (3) NPC’s group showed significant increase ~7% passage 1 ~50% two, compared vehicle-treated group. Furthermore, no differences found among treatment control, qPCR deep red. (4) Conclusion: help during NPC expansion.