• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2010

Objective : Notochordal cells in the intervertebral disc interact with nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and support the maintenance of disc homeostasis by regulation of matrix production. However, the influence of notochordal cells has not been evaluated in the annulus fibrosus (AF), which is the primary pain generator in the disc. We hypothesized that the notochordal cell has the capacity to modulate inflammatory mediators secreted by AF cells secondary to stimulation. Methods : Notochordal and AF cells were isolated from adult New Zealand white rabbits. AF pellets were cultured with notochordal cell clusters or in notochordal cell-conditioned media (NCCM) for 24 or 48 hours with proinflammatory cytokines at varying concentrations. Gene expression in AF pellets were assayed for nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2, and interleukin (IL)-6 by real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results : AF pellet in NCCM significantly decreased the iNOS and COX-2 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels compared to AF pellets alone and AF pellets with notochordal cells (p < 0.05). AF pellet resulted in dose-dependent iNOS and COX-2 expression in response to IL-$1{\beta}$, stimulation, demonstrating that 1 ng/ml for 24 hours yielded a maximal response. AF pellet in NCCM significantly decreased the expression of iNOS and COX-2 in response to 1ng/ml IL-$1{\beta}$, stimulation at 24 hours (p < 0.05). There was no difference in IL-6 expression compared to AF pellets alone or AF pellets with notochordal cell clusters. Conclusion : We conclude that soluble factors from notochordal cells mitigate the gene expression of inflammatory mediators in stimulated AF, as expected after annular injury, suggesting that notochordal cells could serve as a novel therapeutic approach in symptomatic disc development.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.180-187
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• 2000

Objective : A number of evidence have suggested a pivotal role of matrix metalloproteinases(MMP) on the degeneration of intervertebral disc. Proteins of intervertebral disc mainly consist of collagen and proteoglycan. These proteins can be destructed by MMP, resulting in changes of main collagen type and degeneration of matrix proteins. The present study was to determine the different effects of MMP-1 and MMP-2 on the degenerative spinal diseases, resulting from aging process. Clinical Materials & Methods : Thirty-one patients were randomly selected among 350 patients whose discs were resected during operation from March 1997 to February 1999. Patients were divided into two groups: group I with spinal stenosis and group II with herniated intervertebral disc. Group II was subdivided into the ruptured(Group Iia) and unruptured(Group Iib). Increases in MMP-1 immunopositive cells were observed in both groups, as evidenced by immunocytochemical staining. However, in marked contrast, the number of MMP-2 immunopositive cells were only seen in group II. There was no significant difference between Group IIa and Group IIb. The MMP-2 immunopositive cells were increased in the anulus fibrosus of ruptured(Group Iia) more than unruptured(Group Iib), but statistically it was not significant. In addition, the immunopositivity of MMP-1 and MMP-2 was proportional to patients's age. Conclusion : These results strongly suggests the possible involvement of MMP-2, but not MMP-1 in progressive herniated intervertevral disc.