Expression and significance of interleukin-21 in intervertebral disc degeneration

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.3000

Abstract

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Interleukin-17, as the specific marker of Th17 cells, is highly expressed in degenerative lumbar disc tissue. Interleukin-21 plays an important role in proliferation and differentiation of Th17 cells.
OBJECTIVE: To test the expression of interleukin-21 in nucleus pulpous tissue and peripheral blood of patients who accepted the surgery of intervertebral disc degeneration and to analyze the relevant significance.
METHODS: In total, 40 samples of nucleus pulpous tissues were obtained, 32 from intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and 8 from lumbar fracture (control group). Peripheral blood samples were collected from the same cohort. All patients were confirmed by physical examination and MRI and then admitted to the Spine Centre of Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University. We detected the positive signal of interleukin-21 in nucleus pulpous tissue through immunohistochemical method, and measured the levels of interleukin-21, interleukin-17 and interleukin-6 in the nucleus pulpous and peripheral blood by ELISA. Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed thereafter.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There were more positive signals of interleukin-21 in the IDD group than the control group. The expression levels of interleukin-21, interleukin-17 and interleukin-6 were significantly higher in the IDD group than the control group as detected by ELISA. The level of interleukin-21 was positively correlated with the expression of interleukin-17 and interleukin-6. These findings indicate that interleukin-21 is involved in inflammatory and autoimmune responses during the development of IDD.

Key words: lumbar disc, intervertebral disc, degeneration, nucleus pulposus, interleukin-21, Th17 cell, cytokine, inflammation

CLC Number:

Yang Yang, Yao Yu, Shen Xiaotian, Liu Jiajia, Xue Jianhua. Expression and significance of interleukin-21 in intervertebral disc degeneration[J]. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research, 2021, 25(5): 690-694.

Figures/Tables 8

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