ABSTRACT
STUDY DESIGN: An experimental animal study. OBJECTIVES: To create a more appropriate disc degeneration model which shows how Interleukin 1alpha may induce the activation of metalloproteinases within the nucleus pulposus. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: There are few disc degeneration models wherein there is activation of metalloproteinases within the nucleus pulposus without structural destruction of the intervertebral disc. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three consecutive intervertebral discs in New Zealand White Rabbits were exposed. Each disc was injected with 0.1ml of saline (Saline group), 0.1ml of 1microg/ml (IL-1 group), 0.1ml of 10microg/ml (IL-10 group) of IL-1alpha through a 30-gauge needle. The lumbar spine was harvested 12 weeks after operation. We then analyzed radiographic findings and histological changes. RESULTS: There was no difference in the radiological disc height index among the three groups; 0.071 in saline group, 0.045 in IL-1 group and 0.058 in IL-10 group (p=0.194). The histological cellularity of the nucleus pulposus revealed a decrease in the number of cells (p=0.0001, 1.42 in saline group vs. 3.00 in IL-10 group; p=0.001, 2.00 in IL-1 group and 3.00 in IL-10). The histological matrix of the nucleus pulposus was 1.42 in saline group and 2.42 in IL-10(p=0.007), which meant that there had been condensation of the extracellular nucleus pulposus matrix. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that interleukin-1alpha may contribute to degradation of the nucleus pulposus. This is useful for future study into the effects of the cytokine inhibitor on matrix regeneration and cellularity in the nucleus pulposus in intervertebral disc disease.