OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of receptor interacting protein serine-threonine kinases 1 (RIPK1) in the nucleus pulposus of patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). METHODS: Nucleus pulposus tissue specimens of 40 patients with LDH patients underwent surgical treatment from January 2016 to January 2018 as the case group, and nucleus pulposus tissue specimens of 30 patients with lumbar spine fracture underwent surgical treatment at the same time as the control group. The expression of RIPK1 mRNA and protein of receptor interaction were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot, respectively. The expression of RIPK1 protein in the nucleus pulposus were detected by immunohistochemical staining. The concentrations of RIPK1 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in nucleus pulposus were detected by ELISA method. The relationship between the concentrations of RIPK1, TNF-α in nucleus pulposus and the Pearce grade of LDH patients was analyzed by one-way ANOVA. The correlation between RIPK1 and TNF-α was analyzed by Pearson. RESULTS: RIPK1 was weakly positively expressed in nucleus pulposus of control group, and RIPK1 protein was positively or strongly positively expressed in case group. The expression of RIPK1 mRNA in nucleus pulposus of case group was higher than that of control group ( CONCLUSION The expression levels of RIPK1 mRNA and protein in the intervertebral disc tissues of LDH patients are higher than those of normal intervertebral disc tissues, and increased with the increase of Pearce grade, which may be an important factor involved in LDH inflammatory disease.
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc/metabolism* ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/genetics* ; Nucleus Pulposus ; Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism*

BACKGROUNDThis study aimed to investigate the effect of pcDNA3.1-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)165 vector on vertebral cartilage endplate vascular buds and intervertebral discs.

METHODSRabbits were randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups with 10 in each. In the experimental group, we anesthetized the rabbits and exposed the front vertebral body. Using the mark of the longitudinal ossature of the front vertebral body of the lumbar vertebrae, we advanced a needle at the central point of the front fourth and fifth lumbar intervertebral discs and injected 20 µl pcDNA3.1-VEGF165. Similarly, in the control group, we injected 20 µl pcDNA3.1. At 4 and 8 weeks post-injection, we examined the changes of the vertebral cartilage endplate using X-ray radiograph, histology, and scanning electron microscopy.

RESULTSThe vertebral cartilage endplate calcification and degeneration in the experimental group were less than those in the control group at 8 weeks post-operation. The average number and diameter of vascular buds obviously increased in the experimental group at 4 and 8 weeks post-operation. The number of vascular buds and the diameter in the region of the inner annulus increased when compared to those in the area near the nucleus pulposus.

CONCLUSIONSThe pcDNA3.1-VEGF165 plasmid can increase the average number and diameter of vascular buds and decelerate intervertebral disc degeneration.

Animals ; Female ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; genetics ; metabolism ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Rabbits ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of Aggrecan and the relationship between the variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) of Aggrecan and lumbar disc herniation (LDH).

METHODSThe disease group comprised of 74 patients already diagnosed with symptomatic LDH. The control group consisted of 15 patients restricted to spinal trauma and 113 healthy blood donors without symptoms of LDH who were not diagnosed with LDH. Disc tissue samples were obtained from surgical operations and blood samples were donated from all participants. The Aggrecan expression in isolated tissues was assessed by western blot using specific antibodies. The Aggrecan gene VNTR region was analyzed by PCR.

RESULTSThe Aggrecan expression positive rate of control group was statistically and significantly higher (control group:86.67%, disease group:13.51%;χ(2) = 34.83, P < 0.05) than that of the disease group. Moreover, there was a statistically significant higher frequency of Allele 25 or Allele 21 in disease group compared to controls (A25disease group = 22.97%, A25control group = 12.11%, χ(2)A25 = 8.20, PA25 = 0.004; A21disease group = 6.76%, A21control group = 0.39%, χ(2)A21 = 14.35, PA21 = 0.000). Compared to the participants with 2 Alleles>25 repeats, subjects with 1 or 2 Alleles ≤ 25 repeats statistically and significantly over represented the disease group without the expression of Aggrecan (χ(2) = 5.69, P = 0.017).

CONCLUSIONSThe findings suggest a relationship between Aggrecan and symptomatic LDH, where symptomatic LDH has a tendency of allele 21 and allele 25 repeats.In addition, an association between the distribution of Aggrecan gene VNTR polymorphism and the expression of Aggrecan is observed in symptomatic LDH.

Aggrecans ; biosynthesis ; Alleles ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; genetics ; Minisatellite Repeats ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo analyze the gene expression profile of degenerated cervical intervertebral disc of Sprague Dawley rats on a large scale.

METHODSDegenerated models of Sprague Dawley rats of 9 months old (degeneration group, n=9) and normal Sprague Dawley rats of 3 months old (control group, n=9) were prepared, respectively. mRNA was obtained from the cervical intervertebral disc of rats in both groups, respectively, and then labelled by Cy5 and Cy3 fluorescence respectively after reverse transcription to obtain intervertebral disc cDNA probes. cDNA probes were hybridized with BiostarR-40s gene expression profile chips and scanned by laser scanner. The results were treated with portrait analysis, standardization management, and ratio analysis with softwares.

RESULTSCompared with the rats in the control group, 9.6% (381 pieces in total) gene expression changed obviously in the rats in the degeneration group, among which, the gene expression quantities of 171 pieces increased significantly (r=the ratio of the degeneration group to the control group>2.0), 52 pieces of which had certain function. While the gene expression quantities of 211 pieces decreased significantly (r<0.5), 41 pieces of which had certain function.

CONCLUSIONSGene chip technology can be used to analyze the gene expression profile of degenerated intervertebral disc of rats in parallel, in quantity and on a large scale, which helps to testify the representative genes and protein expression, and plays an important role in clarifying the pathogenesis of degenerated intervertebral disc.

Animals ; Cervical Vertebrae ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gene Expression Profiling ; In Situ Hybridization ; Intervertebral Disc ; pathology ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; genetics ; Male ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Yiqi Huayu Bushen Recipe (YHBR) and its disassembled recipes on mRNA expressions of collagen I, III, X, matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) in extracellular matrix of cervical disc in model rats of cervical vertebral disc degeneration.

METHODSThe mRNA expressions of collagens, MMP-13 and TIMP-1 were detected by RT-PCR. The strips were scanned by gel imaging system scanner, and the optical density was autocalculated by computer.

RESULTSCompared with those of the sham-operative group, the mRNA expressions of collagen I , Ill and X and MMP-13 of the model rats increased markedly (P < 0.01), which were lowered by YHBR and its disassembled recipes (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), and the levels after YHBR treatment were significantly different to those after Western medicine treatment. However, no remarkable change was found in TIMP-1 mRNA expression in the model rats (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn the degenerated intervertebral disc the mRNA expressions of collagen I , III, X and MMP-13 increased, TIMP-1 mRNA expression decreased and the proportion of MMPs/TIMP was in imbalance. YHBR and its disassembled recipes could postpone the degeneration of intervertebral disc through regulating mRNA expressions of collagens and their correlated metabolic enzymes.

Animals ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Collagen ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Extracellular Matrix ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Intervertebral Disc ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Phytotherapy ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical efficacy and the effect mechanism of hooking therapy and safflower injection in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH).

METHODSSixty patients of LDH were randomized into an observation group and a control group at ratio of 1 to 1, 30 cases in each one. In the control group, safflower injection was applied to three points of lumbar region, once a day. Seven treatments made one session, and totally 2 sessions were required. In the observation group, under local anesthesia, the big hook needle was used to stimulate the three points of lumbar region first, followed by the safflower injection, once every 6 to 7 days. If the efficacy was not satisfactory enough, the second treatment was given. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (M-JOA) scores were observed before and after treatment in the patients of the two groups and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. The levels of peripheral interleukin-6 (IL-6) and nitric oxide (NO) were determined.

RESULTSVAS and M-JOA scores were all improved apparently after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the patients of the two groups (both P < 0.01). The improvements in the observation group were much more obvious than those in the control group (both P < 0.01). In the observation group, the curative and remarkably effective rate was 76.7% (23/30) and the total effective rate was 96.7% (29/ 30), better than 43.3% (13/30) and 70.0% (21/30) in the control group separately (both P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of IL-6 and NO were all reduced as compared with those before treatment in the two groups; (both P < 0.01). The above indices were changed more obviously in the observation group as compared with those in the control group (both P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of hooking therapy and safflower injection apparently relieves pain and clinical symptoms of LDH. The effect mechanism is relevant with reducing the levels of IL-6 and NO in the peripheral blood.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide ; genetics ; metabolism ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDThe efficacy of percutaneous intradiscal radiofrequency thermocoagulation (PIRFT) for the treatment of discogenic low back pain (LBP) remains controversial. However, all the PIRFT studies utilized monopolar radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFTC). The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of bipolar RFTC for the treatment of discogenic LBP.

METHODSA total of 23 patients with discogenic LBP were treated with single-level bipolar RFTC. The patients were assessed before the procedure and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after the procedure. The primary outcome included the visual analog scale (VAS) score and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score. The secondary outcome included pain relief, reduction of analgesic dose, and patient satisfaction.

RESULTSThe VAS and ODI scores were significantly decreased after bipolar RFTC treatment at all time points of follow-up (P < 0.05). Bipolar RFTC treatment also resulted in a significant change in all secondary measures, such as pain relief, reduction of analgesic dose, and patient satisfaction. No serious complications or neurological sequelae were observed in any of the patients.

CONCLUSIONSBipolar RFTC treatment can significantly attenuate pain and improve the function of patients with discogenic LBP.

Adult ; Aged ; Electrocoagulation ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Fluoroscopy ; methods ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; complications ; therapy ; Low Back Pain ; genetics ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Satisfaction ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome