Objective To explore the molecular regulation mechanism of asporin in the matrix synthesis and secretion of the intervertebral disc,and to clarify its role in degenerative lesions of intervertebral disc.Methods There were 8 cases of intervertebral disc tissue in patients with severe intervertebral disc herniation (including typical clinical symptoms,signs and Pfirrmann's grade Ⅲ).There were 6 male and 2 female with an average age of (20.25 ± 3.37) years old (ranged from 11 to 28 years).After primary culture and redifferentiation in alginate beads,cells were reseeded and treated with different concentrations of TGF-β1 for 6,12,18 and 24 h.Total RNA extracted from the cells and was subjected to real-time PCR analysis to examine the expression of asporin.After silencing the expression of endogenous asporin by siRNA,the cells stimulated 24 h with TGF-β1.Total RNA extracted from the cells and was subjected to real-time PCR analysis to examine the expression of asporin,collagen Ⅱ and proteoglycans.After treatment of specific p38 inhibitor or ERK inhibitor for 12 h,cells were stimulated with TGF-β1 for 24h.Protein extracted from the cells by protein extraction kit to examine the level of asporin.Results In the primary intervertebral disc cell experiment,TGF-β1 stimulation induced asporin transcription significantly in a dose and time dependent manner.After 24 h stimulation,a significant difference between different concentration groups (5,10 and 15 ng/ml) was observed,2.754±0.24,3.651 ±0.319 and 4.583±0.38,respectively (F=24.782,P=0.001).Knockdown of endogenous asporin led to the upregulated expression of aggrecan and collagen]Ⅱ (aggrecan:t=7.387,P=0.002,collagen Ⅱ:t=4.443,P=0.0113).Specific p38 inhibitor was used to block p38 phosphorylation,and TGF-β1 on asporin induction was significantly inhibited.Conclusion Our results have verified a functional feedback loop between TGF-β1 and asporin in human intervertebral annulus cells indicating that TGF-β1 can increase asporin expression,whereas asporin inhibits TGF-β 1 signaling pathway by negative feedback,thereby inhibiting TGF-β1 mediated synthesis of extracellular matrix,and TGF-31 can increase asporin expression by p38 in human intervertebral disc cells.

Objective To understand the cognition and attitude of patients, medical staff and medical examination people on biobanks and their willingness to donation. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 452 individuals, including patients, medical staff and people receiving health checkup at a hospital in Beijing from July to September, 2017. The questionnaire assessed the respondents′demographic data, general knowledge about biobanking and the factors influencing their willingness to donate specimens to biobanks. Pearson′s Chi-square test, student t test or ANOVA were used for univariate analysis. Additionally, the linear regression analysis and logistic regression analysis were used for multivariate analyses. Results A total of 452 questionnaires were delivered, and the effective questionnaires amounted to 440, including 196 medical staff, 123 patients and 121 health checkup individuals. The awareness score of biobanks was significantly different among the medical staff, patients and health checkup individuals ( P < 0. 05 ) . After adjustment for potential risk factors, we found that the population characteristics and the experience of participation in a medical research were the independent beneficial factors of the awareness score. The percentage of the willingness of donation in medical staff, health checkup individuals and patients were 83. 7％, 76. 9％ and 70. 7％, respectively. The results of univariate analyses suggested that the population characteristics, education level, health conditions, the history of blood donation, and the experience of participation in a medical research were significantly associated with the willingness to donate ( all P <0. 05 ) . Population characteristics and health conditions were independently relevant to the willingness of donation, after multivariate analyses of logistic regression. Conclusions Despite the strong willingness to donate biospecimens, patients and health checkup individuals lack knowledge of biobanking. It is apparent that we need to strengthen promotions and to encourage the ethics and humanities to improve the knowledge of biosample donation, for healthy development of hospital-based biobanks.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the bone mineral density (BMD) of cervical vertebrae in a population-stratified manner and correlate with that of the lumbar vertebrae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five hundred and ninety-eight healthy volunteers (254 males, 344 females), ranging from 20 to 64 years of age, were recruited for volumetric BMD (vBMD) measurements by quantitative computed tomography. Basic information (age, height, weight, waistline, and hipline), and vBMD of the cervical and lumbar vertebrae (C2-7 and L2-4) were recorded. Comparisons among sex, age groups and different levels of vertebrae were analyzed using analysis of variance. Linear regression was performed for relevance of different vertebral levels. RESULTS: The vBMD of cervical and lumbar vertebrae was higher in females than males in each age group. The vBMD of the cervical and lumbar vertebrae in males and the vBMD of lumbar vertebrae in females decreased with aging. In each age group, the vBMD of the cervical vertebrae was higher than that of the lumbar vertebrae with gradual decreases from C2 to C7 except for C3; moreover, the vBMD of C6 and C7 was significantly different from that of C2-5. Correlations of vBMD among different cervical vertebrae (females: r = 0.62-0.94; males: r = 0.63-0.94) and lumbar vertebrae (males: r = 0.93-0.98; females: r = 0.82-0.97) were statistically significant at each age group. CONCLUSION: The present study provided normative data of cervical vertebrae in an age- and sex-stratified manner. Sex differences in vBMD prominently vary with age, which can be helpful to design a more comprehensive pre-operative surgical plan.
Aging ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Bone Density* ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Lumbar Vertebrae* ; Male ; Sex Characteristics ; Spine