Case-control study on the relationship of chronic low back pain of facet joint origin with the distribution of nerve endings and neuropeptide: a quantitative histological analysis / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the density and distribution of nerve endings and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in lumbar facet joints of patients with low back pain.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifteen patients without low back pain were selected as control group (group A). Facet joint samples in group A were obtained during the operation or lumbar spinal canal tumor they suffered from. Those patients with low back pain were divided into three groups according to their different origins of pain, such as not from facet joint (group B, 15 patients) ,from facet joint only (group C, 20 patients), or from facet joint partially (group D, 20 patients). Different origins were determined by VAS after facet joint block. The density and distribution of nerve ending and neuropeptide in the capsular tissues were analyzed by a modified gold chloride staining and immunochemistry respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the ones in group A and B, the fact joints in group C and D were more inclined to be degenerated and got more nerve endings. NPY was expressed mainly in the facet joint of patients with low back pain in group C and D. In addition, there was a significant relationship between the distribution of nerve endings and NPY expression,while none of them were related with MRI Fujiwara grade of facet joint.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These results suggest that the number of mechanoreceptors, neural sprouting and secreted peptides in the facet joint capsules vary with the change of mechanical or nociceptive stimulation, which may promote the development of low back pain in return.</p>

LIPUS enhance elongation of neurites in rat cortical neurons through inhibition of GSK-3beta / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has been reported to enhance proliferation and to alter protein production in various kinds of cells. In the present study, we measured the neurites length after LIPUS treatment to define the effectiveness of LIPUS stimulation on neurons, and then we examined the acticity of GSK-3beta to study the intracellular mechanism of neurite's outgrowth.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>LIPUS was applied to cultured primary rat cortical neurons for 5 minutes every day with spatial- and temporal average intensities (SATA) of 10 mW/cm(2), a pulse width of 200 microseconds, a repetition rate of 1.5 KHz, and an operation frequency of 1 MHz. Neurons were photographed on the third day after LIPUS treatment and harvested at third, seventh, and tenth days for immunoblot and semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Morphology change showed that neurite extension was enhanced by LIPUS. There was also a remarkable decrease of proteins, including p-Akt, p-GSK-3beta, and p-CRMP-2, observed on the seventh and tenth days, and of GSK-3beta mRNA expression, observed on the seventh day, in neurons treated with LIPUS.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>LIPUS can enhance elongation of neurites and it is possible through the decreased expression of GSK-3beta.</p>