How the TonEBP (NFAT5) protein helps keep spinal discs healthy
TonEBP/Nfat5, vesicular trafficking and intervertebral disc maintenance
This project looks at how a protein called TonEBP helps cells in spinal discs package and send out important molecules, with the goal of finding ways to prevent or slow disc degeneration that causes low back pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11302655 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective: researchers are using genetically modified mice and disc cells that lack TonEBP in specific disc regions to understand how that protein supports communication and maintenance between disc compartments. They will track where TonEBP sits inside the cell's secretory and vesicular machinery, identify proteins it interacts with using pull-downs and mass spectrometry, and test whether TonEBP loss alters stress responses like the unfolded protein response or autophagy. The team compares different disc cell types (notochord-derived nucleus pulposus and sclerotome-derived cells) to see how defects in secretion affect disc formation and maintenance. The goal is to reveal mechanisms that could point to new targets to protect or restore intervertebral discs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with symptomatic intervertebral disc degeneration or chronic low back pain would be the patients most likely to benefit from future therapies informed by this work and could be candidates for follow-up clinical studies.
Not a fit: People whose back pain is due to non-disc causes (such as muscle strain, hip pathology, or acute traumatic spine injury) are less likely to benefit from findings focused on disc cell biology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify molecular targets to develop treatments that slow or reverse disc degeneration and reduce low back pain.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked TonEBP/NFAT5 to disc cell survival and osmotic regulation, but applying its role to vesicular secretion and intercellular communication in discs is a newer, less-tested direction.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Elefteriou, Florent — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Elefteriou, Florent
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.