Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2012, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (48): 8931-8937.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2012.48.001

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Autoimmune properties of nucleus pulposus in the patients with lumbar disc herniation

Zhang Hai-ping1, Zhang Feng2, Yao Yu2   

  1. 1Department of Orthopedics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China
    2Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Received:2012-02-01 Revised:2012-03-15 Online:2012-11-25 Published:2013-03-14
  • Contact: Zhang Feng, Chief physician, Professor, Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China zhf1017@hotmail.com
  • About author:Zhang Hai-ping★, Master, Physician, Department of Orthopedics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China zhpd_007@163.com

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Much pathogenesis can cause discogenic low back pain. During the occurrence and development of disc degeneration, the correlation between the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes and the highlight type and duration is not yet fully clear.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes and vascular endothelial growth factor in the lumbar disc tissue of the patients with different types of lumbar disc herniation, and to analyze the association between their expression and clinical symptoms and signs.
METHODS: The lumbar disc specimens were selected from the patients with lumbar disc herniation as the experimental group, it included extrusion group, herniation group and bulge group; the normal lumber discs of the patients with vertebral body fracture were collected as control group. Angiopoiesis and gathering of peripheral lymphocytes of the lumbar disc specimens were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Immunohistochemistry method was used to detect the distribution of CD4, CD8, IgG, IgM and vascular endothelial growth factor.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: ①Plenty of vascular endothelial cells and neovascularization can be observed in the degenerative nucleus pulpous. Lymphocyte aggregation was found around them. ②Expression of activated T cells CD4+ and CD8+, as well as the IgG and IgM positive B cells and vascular endothelial growth factor were observed by immunohistochemistry staining. The expression level in extrusion group and bulge group was obviously higher than that in herniation group (P < 0.05). Otherwise, there was no positive expression in the control group. Nucleus pulpous can activate T and B cells and cause immune reaction when exposed to autoimmunity system. Vascular endothelial growth factor plays a key role in the neovascularization of degenerative lumbar disc. At the same time, it has synergistic effect on the discogenic low back pain with the autoimmunity reaction caused by T and B cells.

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