ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Exercise has been proved to accelerate the proliferation of intervertebral disc cells and extracellular matrix production in healthy rats. For the degenerative intervertebral disc, whether exercise also has positive effects on its cell proliferation, extracellular matrix production or pain relief remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of exercise on the extracellular matrix production in a rat model of intervertebral disc degeneration.METHODS: A rat model of intervertebral disc degeneration was prepared by Freund's complete adjuvant injection into the intervertebral disc at L5-6 levels. Then, the model rats were allowed to have a rest for 2 weeks. All rats were then randomly divided into exercise and control groups. Rats in the exercise group were forced to run every day, while the controls allowed free activities in the cage. The behavioral tests were performed at 7, 14, 28, 42, 56 and 70 days after modeling; meanwhile, the intervertebral disc samples were collected used for alcian blue staining and immunohistochemical staining to detect the levels of proteoglycan, aggrecan and collagen type Ⅱ in the intervertebral disc cells, respectively.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Vocalization threshold on the rat back of punctured disc was significantly decreased, while grooming and wet-dog shaking were significantly increased at 7 days after modeling compared with the baseline (P < 0.05), suggesting that Freund's complete adjuvant injection successfully induces disc degeneration, hyperalgesia and abnormal behaviors. Further, the vocalization threshold and wet-dog shaking in the exercise group showed significant improvement compared with the control group after 14 days of exercise (P < 0.05), while the grooming was significantly reduced until the 28th day (P < 0.01), indicating that exercise can alleviate pain caused by disc degeneration in model rats. At 21 days after modeling, the levels of proteoglycan, aggrecan and collagen type Ⅱ in the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus were significantly decreased compared with the baseline (P < 0.01), indicating the occurrence of disc degeneration. After 14 days of training, the levels of proteoglycan, aggrecan, and collagen type Ⅱ in the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus in the exercise group were significantly increased compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Moreover, after 8-week exercise, the level of proteoglycan in the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus in the exercise group was increased by 4-5 times compared with the control group, and levels of aggrecan and collagen type Ⅱ in the nucleus pulposus in the exercise group also was increased by 3-4 times compared with the control group. To conclude, exercise can promote extracellular matrix increased by production by increasing the levels of proteoglycan, aggrecan, and collagen type II in the degenerative intervertebral disc.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Lumbar spine MRI and electrophysiological test are reliable methods for evaluating nerve root injury caused by lumbar disc herniation. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the correlation between the MRI-based grading system and the latency and frequency of F wave as wel as latency and amplitude of H-reflex in patients with lumbar disc herniation. METHODS:MRI imaging of the lumbar spine was performed with a 3.0-T imager and a dedicated TCL coil to classify lumbar disc herniation and nerve root compression. F wave and H reflex were detected on the patient bilateral tibial nerves using Oxford myoelectricity evoked potential instrument. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Spearman correlation analysis showed that the MRI-based grading of patients with lumbar disc herniation had a negative correlation with F wave frequency (r=-0.594 0, P<0.000 1), and a positive correlation with F wave latency (r=0.825 6, P<0.000 1) and H-reflex latency (r=0.875 0, P<0.000 1), but no correlation with H-reflex amplitude (R=0.117 4, P=0.257 3). With MRI grading increased, F wave frequency was decreased, and F wave and H-reflex latency were prolonged gradual y, indicating aggravating nerve root compression.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Microencapsulated cels are commonly used as a tool to overcome immune rejection after subarachnoid transplantation. However, the effect of microencapsulation on the secretion of human pheochromocytoma cels is unclear. OBJECTIVE:To observe the growth and secretion of primarily microencapsulated cultured human pheochromocytoma cels in artificial cerebrospinal fluid. METHODS: The human pheochromocytoma tissues were digested successively to isolate human pheochromocytoma cels that were then cultured in artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Primary cels were covered with alginate-polylysine-alginate microcapsules, and then the cel morphology was observed with inverted phase contrast microscope. Levels of met-enkephalin and norepinephrine in cel culture medium were detected by enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We used cel counting kit-8 colorimetric assay to obtain the growth curve of human pheochromocytoma cels in artificial cerebrospinal fluid. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Microcapsulated human pheochromocytoma cels were in suspension and the process outgrowth increased slowly. Compared with non-microcapsulated cels, the proliferation rate of microcapsulated cels increased significantly. ELISA results revealed a significant increase in the levels of met-enkephalin and norepinephrine secreted from the microencapsulated cels compared to the non-microcapsule group. There was a wide variation in contents of met-enkephalin and norepinephrine from different tumors. These findings indicate that microencapsulated human pheochromocytoma cels can survive wel and have good secretion function in artificial cerebrospinal fluid, and human pheochromocytoma cels from different tumor tissues have stable secretory function.