Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.2
3.9
Journals
Biomedicines
Special Issues
Pathogenesis and Novel Therapeutics in Musculoskeletal Conditions, 3rd Edition
share announcement

Pathogenesis and Novel Therapeutics in Musculoskeletal Conditions, 3rd Edition

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular and Translational Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 272

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Juan Antonio Valera-Calero

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
VALTRADOFI Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28692 Madrid, Spain
Interests: ultrasound imaging; neck pain; low back pain; myofascial pain syndromes; elastography; science education; physiotherapy; undergraduate education; health occupations students
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Plaza-Manzano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Radiology, Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: manual therapy; myofascial pain syndromes; neuropathic pain; neck pain; low back pain; chronic pain
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading contributor to disability around the world. Although most musculoskeletal conditions are commonly characterized by pain, there are more than 150 different conditions affecting the joints (e.g., osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis), bones (e.g., osteoporosis and fractures), and muscles (e.g., myofascial pain syndromes and sarcopenia). Basic and clinical research studies currently aim to understand the pathogenetic peculiarities of each musculoskeletal condition to provide clinicians with evidence-based diagnosis and management recommendations.

This Special Issue, centered around musculoskeletal disorders, aims to collate high-quality research articles on the pathogenesis of different musculoskeletal conditions (e.g., molecular mechanisms and the identification of risk factors associated with specific conditions) and novel effective multidisciplinary therapeutics to provide clinicians with novel and evidence-supported recommendations. 

Dr. Juan Antonio Valera-Calero
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Plaza-Manzano
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • neck pain
  • low back pain
  • myofascial pain syndromes
  • chronic pain
  • musculoskeletal disorders
  • disability
  • pain treatment

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issues

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

15 pages, 1752 KiB  
Article
Modulation of Neurturin Expression by Lumbosacral Spinal Stenosis, Lifestyle Factors, and Glycemic Dysregulation
by Małgorzata Sobańska, Dawid Sobański, Rafał Staszkiewicz, Paweł Gogol, Damian Strojny, Tomasz Pawłaszek, Werner Dammerman and Beniamin Oskar Grabarek
Biomedicines 2025, 13(5), 1102; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051102 - 1 May 2025
Viewed by 161
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Lumbosacral spinal stenosis (LSS) is a degenerative condition characterized by narrowing of the spinal canal and associated neuropathic pain. While mechanical compression is well-characterized, the molecular mechanisms contributing to symptom severity remain poorly understood. Neurturin (NRTN), a member of the glial [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Lumbosacral spinal stenosis (LSS) is a degenerative condition characterized by narrowing of the spinal canal and associated neuropathic pain. While mechanical compression is well-characterized, the molecular mechanisms contributing to symptom severity remain poorly understood. Neurturin (NRTN), a member of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family, has emerged as a potential mediator of neural plasticity and nociception, but its role in spinal stenosis is largely unexplored. Methods: We analyzed NRTN mRNA and protein expression in ligamentum flavum samples from 96 patients undergoing surgery for LSS and 85 non-degenerative postmortem controls. Quantification was performed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Pain severity Visual Analog Scale (VAS), body mass index (BMI), diabetes, smoking, and alcohol use were assessed as modulators of NRTN expression. Results: NRTN expression was significantly elevated in LSS patients versus controls at both transcript and protein levels (p < 0.05). NRTN levels positively correlated with pain intensity (VAS; ANOVA p = 0.032 for mRNA, p = 0.041 for protein). Multivariate regression identified BMI (β = 0.50, p = 0.015) and diabetes (β = 0.39, p = 0.017) as independent predictors of increased NRTN expression. Alcohol use also showed a positive association (p = 0.046), while smoking showed no significant independent effect. Conclusions: Neurturin is upregulated in ligamentum flavum tissue from LSS patients and correlates with pain severity and metabolic risk factors. These findings suggest NRTN as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in degenerative spine disease. Further longitudinal and mechanistic studies are warranted to elucidate its role in chronic pain and neuroinflammation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis and Novel Therapeutics in Musculoskeletal Conditions, 3rd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-1
Back to TopTop