This study was done to evaluate whether injections of resveratrol, a natural compound found in the skin of grapes, had anabolic effects on degenerated intervertebral discs in a rabbit model. Two non-continuous lumbar discs were punctured in rabbits to induce disc degeneration. Four weeks and 6 weeks after puncture, the rabbits were treated by injections with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or resveratrol. At 4, 8, and 16 weeks after initial injection, rabbits were sacrificed and the spine was extracted for magnetic resonance image (MRI), mRNA expression, and histological staining. Resveratrol treatment resulted in stronger signal intensity in T2-weighted images. MRI grade showed significantly lower in the resveratrol group than the DMSO group (P = 0.039). In the resveratrol group, aggrecan gene expression was significantly increased than that in the DMSO group at 16 weeks after injection (P = 0.027). MMP-13 mRNA levels in the resveratrol group were significantly decreased than those in the DMSO group at 8 and 16 weeks (P = 0.006 and P = 0.048, respectively). In hematoxylin and eosin stain, resveratrol-treated discs showed the features of regeneration. Histologic grade revealed improvement in resveratrol-treated discs, compared with DMSO-treated discs (P = 0.024). These anabolic effects on degenerated discs indicate that resveratrol is a promising candidate for treatment of degenerative disc disease.
Aggrecans/genetics/metabolism ; Anabolic Agents/*administration & dosage ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/*drug therapy/pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 13/genetics/metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism ; Rabbits ; Spine/radiography ; Stilbenes/*administration & dosage

PURPOSE: To investigate the molecular responses of various genes and proteins related to disc degeneration upon treatment with cytokines that affect disc-cell proliferation and phenotype in living human intervertebral discs (IVDs). Responsiveness to these cytokines according to the degree of disc degeneration was also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The disc specimens were classified into two groups: group 1 (6 patients) showed mild degeneration of IVDs and group 2 (6 patients) exhibited severe degeneration of IVDs. Gene expression was analyzed after treatment with four cytokines: recombinant human bone morphogenic protein (rhBMP-2), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Molecular responses were assessed after exposure of cells from the IVD specimens to these cytokines via real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: mRNA gene expression was significantly greater for aggrecan, type I collagen, type II collagen, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and Sox9 in group 1 than mRNA gene expression in group 2, when the samples were not treated with cytokines. Analysis of mRNA levels for these molecules after morphogen treatment revealed significant increases in both groups, which were much higher in group 1 than in group 2. The average number of IVD cells that were immunofluorescence stained positive for alkaline phosphatase increased after treatment with rhBMP-2 and TGF-beta in group 1. CONCLUSION: The biologic responsiveness to treatment of rhBMP-2, TGF-beta, TNF-alpha, and IL-1beta in the degenerative living human IVD can be different according to the degree of degeneration of the IVD.
Adult ; Aggrecans/genetics/metabolism ; Alkaline Phosphatase/genetics/metabolism ; Biological Products/pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Collagen Type I/genetics/metabolism ; Collagen Type II/genetics/metabolism ; Cytokines/*pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects ; Humans ; Interleukin-1/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Intervertebral Disc/*drug effects/*pathology ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/*drug therapy/genetics/*pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteocalcin/genetics/metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; SOX9 Transcription Factor/genetics/metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/pharmacology