Development of an Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Model using Newzealand White Rabbits

Kwangyoung So; Yongsoo Choi; Daehyun Yoon; Jihoon Ryu; Brian Johnstone; Jung U Yoo

doi:10.4184/jkss.2011.18.4.179

Journal List > J Korean Soc Spine Surg > v.18(4) > 1075940

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So, Choi, Yoon, Ryu, Johnstone, and Yoo: Development of an Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Model using Newzealand White Rabbits

Original Article

Journal of Korean Spine Surg 2011;18(4):179-185.

Published online: 21 December 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4184/jkss.2011.18.4.179

Development of an Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Model using Newzealand White Rabbits

Kwangyoung So, M.D., Yongsoo Choi, M.D., Daehyun Yoon, M.D., Jihoon Ryu, M.D., Brian Johnstone, Ph.D.^∗, Jung U Yoo, M.D.^∗

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kwangju Christian Hospital, Gwangju, Korea

^∗Oregon Health and Science University, USA

Corresponding author: Yongsoo Choi, M.D. 264 Yangrim-dong Nam-gu Gwangju, Kwangju Christian Hospital TEL: 82-62-650-5064, FAX: 82-62-650-5066 E-mail: stemcellchoi@yahoo.co.kr

Received 10 May 2011 Revised 10 October 2011 Accepted 12 October 2011

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Study Design

An experimental animal study.

Objectives

To create a more appropriate disc degeneration model which shows how Interleukin 1α 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 1μg/ml (IL-1 group), 0.1ml of 10μg/ml (IL-10 group) of IL-1α 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-1α 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.

Keywords: Intervertebral disc, Degeneration model, Interleukin-1α, Rabbit

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Fig. 1.

Photographs show operative procedure with anterior trans-abdominal approach. To locate needle into the nucleus pulpusus accurately, polyethylene tube was enveloped in 30 gauge needle as a stopper (arrow).

Fig. 2.

Radiological disc height index = (B+C+D)/3M. 4 landmarks were chosen at corners of the vertebral body. Two straight lines (A and E) were drawn using 4 landmarks. Two additional lines (B and D) were drawn by dividing evenly the distance between the first 2 lines and center line(C). M was taken center line of vertebral body.

Fig. 3.

Comparison of results from radilological disc height index. There was no difference in the radiological disc height index among the three groups (p=0.194).

Fig. 4.

Comparison of histological results of cellularity in nucleus pulposus. The histological cellularity of nucleus pulposus revealed decrease of the number of cell (*p=0.0001, **p=0.001).

Fig. 5.

Histoloical finding of cellularity in nucleus pulposus revealed normal cellularity with vacuoles in the gelatinous structure in untouched disc(A) and saline (B), slightly decrease in the the number of cells in IL 1μg/ml (C), severe decrease (>50%) in the number of cells in IL 10μg/ml(D) (Stained with toluidine blue, 16X).

Fig. 6.

Comparison of histological results of matrix in nucleus pulposus. The histological matrix of nucleus pulposus between saline group and IL-10 revealed condensation of the extracellular matrix of nucleus pulposus (*p=0.007).

Fig. 7.

Histologic finding of matrix in nucleus pulposus showed nearly normal gelatinous appearance in untouched disc (A), slight condensation of the extracellular matrix in saline (B) and IL 1μg/ml (C), loosening of the extracellular matrix in IL 10μg/ml (D) (Stained with toluidine blue, 16X).

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