From: Clinical Biochemistry Volume 42, Issue 15, October 2009, Pages 1504-1511
This study was conducted to investigate the expression of cytokines and growth factors in disc specimens obtained from patients with herniated nucleus pulposus and degenerated disc disease. MRI and Western blot analyses were performed to evaluate the levels of disc degeneration and the expression levels of cytokines and growth factors.
The levels of TNF-alpha and IL-8 were significantly greater in the degenerated disc disease group than in the herniated nucleus pulposus group, but no statistical differences were observed in the expression of IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-12 between the herniated nucleus pulposus and degenerated disc disease groups. In addition, the expression of TGF beta, VEGF and NGF was significantly higher in the degenerated disc disease group than in the herniated nucleus pulposus group.
The greater levels of cytokine and growth factor expression in the degenerated disc disease group than in the herniated nucleus pulposus explain why discogenic patients usually have more severe back pain than patients with herniated discs.
Figure Descriptions:
1) Fig. 1. Western blot analysis and relative intensities of the expression of cytokines and TNF-alpha. (A) Western blots of (1) IL-1 β (2) IL-6 (3) IL-8 (4) IL-12 (5) TNF-α and (6) tubulin. Disc tissue proteins (30 μg) of herniated nucleus pulposus and degenerated disc disease patients were loaded in each lane. (B) the quantities represented by gel bands are expressed as intensities relative to tubulin. (1) IL-1 β (2) IL-6 (3) IL-8 (4) IL-12 (5) TNF-α. The data shown represent the means ± SD (n = 12 and 10 for herniated nucleus pulposus and degenerated disc disease, respectively).
2) Fig. 2. Western blot analysis and relative intensities of the expression of growth factors. (A) Western blots of (1) bFGF (2) NGF (3) PDGF (4) TGF-β (5) VEGF and (6) tubulin. Disc tissue proteins (30 μg) from herniated nucleus pulposus and degenerated disc disease patients were loaded in each lane. (B) quantities represented by gel bands are expressed as intensities relative to tubulin. (1) bFGF (2) NGF (3) PDGF (4) TGF-β (5) VEGF. Data represent the means ± SD (n = 12 and 10 for herniated nucleus pulposus and degenerated disc disease, respectively).
3) Fig. 3. Association of the expression of cytokines and growth factors with MRI grade. (A) association of the expression of cytokines and MRI grades 3 and 4 in the herniated nucleus pulposus group, (B) association of the expression of cytokines and MRI grades 4 and 5 in the degenerated disc disease group, (C) association of the expression of growth factors and MRI grades 3 and 4 in the herniated nucleus pulposus group, (D) association of the expression of growth factors and MRI grades 4 and 5 in the degenerated disc disease group.
