Effect of the adenovirus­mediated Wip1 gene on lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration in a rabbit model.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the adenovirus­mediated wild­type p53­induced protein phosphatase 1 (Wip1) gene on lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) in a rabbit model. Adult New Zealand white rabbits were used as experimental subjects. The rabbits were divided into LDD groups (groups A­C of rabbit models of LDD) and control groups (groups D­F of normal rabbits). The animals in groups A and D were injected with the Wip1 gene vector, those in groups B and E were injected with an empty vector, and those in groups C and F were injected with phosphate­buffered saline. Type II collagen was detected using a streptavidin­biotin complex immunohistochemistry method. Postoperative X­ray imaging showed a significant increase in the recovery of rabbits from group A, compared with those from groups B and C. The nucleus pulposus proteoglycan content of the intervertebral discs (L2­3, L3­4 and L4­5) of group A remained higher, compared with the content in groups B and C, and the values in groups B and C differed from those of groups E and F. At 3, 6 and 9 weeks post­injection, the content of type II collagen of intervertebral discs (L2­3, L3­4 and L4­5) in group A differed from groups B and C, and the values in groups A­C remained lower, compared with those in groups D­F. The Wip1 gene exhibited a therapeutic effect in the treatment of LDD.