Inflammatory biomarkers in sera of patients with intervertebral disc degeneration.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate intervertebral disc levels of inflammatory factor (interleukin 6) and proteinase activity (cathepsin B) in patients with a degenerative disease and serum levels of interleukin 6, serum cathepsin B activity and hyaluronic acid biomarkers. METHODS: We conducted immunohistochemistry studies of intervertebral discs to analyze interleukin 6 and cathepsin B levels of patients with degenerative disease and spine fracture (Control Group) and to measure hyaluronic acid, interleukin 6 and cathepsin B activity from sera of intervertebral disc degeneration patients, fracture patients, and healthy individuals. RESULTS: Interleukin 6 and cathepsin B seem to be related with physiopathology of intervertebral disc degeneration, since the levels of both were higher in discs of patients with intervertebral disc degeneration. Interleukin 6 and cathepsin B do not represent good biomarkers of degenerative intervertebral disc disease, since the level of such compounds is increased in the plasma of patients with fractures. CONCLUSION: Hyaluronic acid can be a biomarker for intervertebral disc degeneration, because hyaluronic acid levels were higher only in sera of patients with intervertebral disc degeneration.

Inflammatory biomarkers in sera of patients with intervertebral disc degeneration / Biomarcadores inflamatórios no plasma de pacientes com degeneração do disco intervertebral

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate intervertebral disc levels of inflammatory factor (interleukin 6) and proteinase activity (cathepsin B) in patients with a degenerative disease and serum levels of interleukin 6, serum cathepsin B activity and hyaluronic acid biomarkers. Methods: We conducted immunohistochemistry studies of intervertebral discs to analyze interleukin 6 and cathepsin B levels of patients with degenerative disease and spine fracture (Control Group) and to measure hyaluronic acid, interleukin 6 and cathepsin B activity from sera of intervertebral disc degeneration patients, fracture patients, and healthy individuals. Results: Interleukin 6 and cathepsin B seem to be related with physiopathology of intervertebral disc degeneration, since the levels of both were higher in discs of patients with intervertebral disc degeneration. Interleukin 6 and cathepsin B do not represent good biomarkers of degenerative intervertebral disc disease, since the level of such compounds is increased in the plasma of patients with fractures. Conclusion: Hyaluronic acid can be a biomarker for intervertebral disc degeneration, because hyaluronic acid levels were higher only in sera of patients with intervertebral disc degeneration.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar os níveis de fatores inflamatórios nos discos intervertebrais (interleucina 6) e proteinase (catepsina B) em pacientes com doença degenerativa de disco intervertebral, além de verificar os níveis séricos de interleucina 6, ácido hialurônico e atividade sérica da catepsina B. Métodos: Foi realizado exame imuno-histoquímica dos discos intervertebrais de pacientes com doença degenerativa e fratura da coluna (Grupo Controle) e análise do plasma de pacientes com doença degenerativa de disco intervertebral. Como controle, foram utilizados plasma de pacientes com fraturas, além de indivíduos saudáveis. Resultados: Interleucina 6 e catepsina B sugerem relação com a fisiopatologia da doença degenerativa de disco intervertebral, uma vez que os níveis de ambos foram maiores nos discos de pacientes com doença degenerativa de disco intervertebral. Interleucina 6 e catepsina B não representam bons biomarcadores da doença degenerativa do disco intervertebral, já que também encontram níveis aumentados em plasma de pacientes com fratura. Conclusão: O ácido hialurônico é um possível biomarcador de doença degenerativa de disco intervertebral, porque os níveis de ácido hialurônico foram maiores apenas em plasma de pacientes com doença degenerativa de disco intervertebral.

Expression of heparanase isoforms in intervertebral discs classified according to Pfirrmann grading system for disc degeneration.

STUDY DESIGN: This is a quantitative study of heparanase isoforms expression in degenerative and nondegenerative intervertebral discs (IVDs). OBJECTIVE: To quantify the expression of both heparanase isoforms (HPSE1 and HPSE2) in IVD tissues as classified by different degeneration grades using the Pfirrmann grading system, and to correlate the expression with the loss of extracellular matrix molecules observed in patients with the disease. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The loss of proteoglycans as observed in IVD degeneration may occur due to the enhanced expression of matrix degrading enzymes, such as heparanase. However, the heparanase function in IVD degeneration remains unclear. METHODS: This study comprised 53 surgical samples of degenerative discs obtained from patients with lumbar disc degeneration and 12 control samples collected from healthy individuals without any degenerative lumbar disc alterations who had accidental spine fractures.All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging based on the Pfirrmann grading system for disc degeneration. Only the specimens that were classified according to magnetic resonance imaging evaluations as Pfirrmann grades I, II, III, and IV were analyzed.The tissue sections of the disc samples were subject to immunohistochemical staining with antibodies against the heparanase isoforms and to quantitative real time PCR to amplify heparanase isoforms cDNA. Protein and mRNA expressions were quantified. Analysis of variance and Student t test were used to compare the means of the study populations. RESULTS: The data demonstrated a gradual increase in both the heparanase isoform protein expression and disc degeneration progression. Besides, mRNA expression of both heparanase isoforms were significantly higher in degenerative than nondegenerative IVDs. CONCLUSION: The overexpression of HPSE1 and HPSE2 in the intervertebral degenerated discs suggests a role for these factors in mediating extracellular matrix remodeling in degenerative discs during disease development.