The expression of Interleukin-17 in disc tissue of two types of lumbar disc herniation and the relationship with Modic changes / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the expression of Interleukin-17 (IL-17) in different types of herniated disc tissue,and to investigate Modic changes in corresponding injured segment and relationship between Modic changes and herniated types.Methods Fifty patients with single level disc herniation were enrolled in this study.According to clinical diagnosis criteria,imaging (CT and MR) examination results,and the view in surgery process the patients were divided into 2 groupsherniation group(35 patients),degeneration group(15 patients).According to MRI,patients were divided into 2 groupsModic changes group(14 patients),non-Modic changes group (36 patients).The disc tissues were observed by HE staining and immunohistochemical staining,and the expression of IL-17 was detected by using real-time quantitative PCR.Results Pathological examination revealed that there were more granulation tissue and neovascularization in herniation group than in degeneration group.Immunohistochemical result showed that there were more IL-17-positive cells in herniation group than in degeneration group; there were more IL-17-postive cells in Modic changes group than in non-Modic changes group.The expression of IL-17 mRNA in herniation group was 6.7701 times more than that in degeneration group.The expression of IL-17mRNA in Modic changes group was 4.2836 times more than that in non-Modic changes group. Conclusion The herniated disc nucleus pulposus can cause more prominent local inflammation.Autoimmune responses maybe play an important role in pathophysiological mechanisms of Modic changes.