Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2021, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (11): 1699-1704.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.3082

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Effect of Capparis spinosa total alkaloid on proliferation and apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells in an intervertebral disc degeneration rat model

Liu Zhigang, Guo Qinggong, Chen Jingtao   

  1. Department of Orthopedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University, Kaifeng 475001, Henan Province, China
  • Received:2020-03-11 Revised:2020-03-17 Accepted:2020-05-09 Online:2021-04-18 Published:2020-12-21
  • Contact: Guo Qinggong, Chief physician, Professor, Department of Orthopedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University, Kaifeng 475001, Henan Province, China
  • About author:Liu Zhigang, Master, Associate chief physician, Department of Orthopedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University, Kaifeng 475001, Henan Province, China

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Capparis spinosa total alkaloids (CSTA) have certain effects on cell growth and extracellular matrix synthesis. The aging and apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells are one of the main pathologies of intervertebral disc degeneration. Therefore, it is assumed that CSTA may have certain effect on the degeneration of the intervertebral disc.
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of CSTA on intervertebral disc degeneration rat model and nucleus pulposus cells. 
METHODS: Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham, model, CSTA-H, and CSTA-L groups with eight in each group. Rat models of intervertebral disc degeneration were made in the model group, CSTA-L group and CSTA-H group. The CSTA-L and CSTA-H groups were given intragastric administration of CSTA 225 mg/kg/d and 450 mg/kg/d for 4 weeks respectively. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the intervertebral disc. Immunohistochemistry and western blot were used to detect the expression of type II collagen and aggrecan. Nucleus pulposus cells from the intervertebral disc of another two Sprague-Dawley rats were separated, cultured and divided into a control group, an oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) group and an administration group (OGD+CSTA 10 mg/L). After being cultured for 24 hours, the morphology of nucleus pulposus cells was observed, the cell proliferation ability was detected by cell counting kit-8, the cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, and the expression of type II collagen and aggrecan were detected by western blot. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Compared with the sham group, the intervertebral disc tissue of the model group showed fiber ring fissures, aggregation and shrinking of nucleus pulposus cells, and different improvements were found in the CSTA-L and CSTA-H groups. (2) The expression levels of type II collagen and aggrecan in the model group were significantly lower than those in the sham, CSTA-L and CSTA-H groups (P < 0.05). (3) Compared with the control group, the cells in the OGD group showed irregular morphology and death status, whereas the cell morphology in the administration group was improved. (4) Compared with the control group, nucleus pulposus cells in the OGD group showed lower proliferation, higher apoptotic rate, and lower levels of type II collagen and aggrecan (P < 0.05). Compared with the OGD group, nucleus pulposus cells in the administration group showed faster proliferation, lower apoptotic rate, and higher levels of type II collagen and aggrecan. To conclude, CSTA can improve intervertebral disc degeneration by promoting proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells as well as inhibiting the degradation of extracellular matrix.


Key words: intervertebral disc degeneration">, Capparis spinosa">, total alkaloids">, nucleus pulposus cells">, extracellular matrix">, collagen">, aggrecan">, rat

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