The Relationship between Apoptosis of Endplate Microvasculature and Degeneration of the Intervertebral Disc.

The Relationship between Apoptosis of Endplate Microvasculature and Degeneration of the Intervertebral Disc.

World Neurosurg. 2019 Jan 28;:

Authors: Xu HM, Hu F, Wang XY, Tong SL

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between intervertebral disc degeneration and endplate microvasculature, and determine the role of apoptosis in the pathophysiology underlying endplate microvasculature.
METHODS: Twelve 6-month-old rabbits were randomly divided into Groups A (The Control Group, animals were accepted a sham operation, in which the loading device was implanted but without loading) and B (The Degeneration Group, a calibrated spring within the loading device would immediately create static shear force of 50 N to the disc of L4/5). Paraffin-embedded midsagittal sections of the L4-L5 disc were obtained 4 weeks after surgery in the both groups. Sections were stained with CD31 immunohistochemistry to measure the blood vessel density in the endplate, with CD31 immunofluorescence and the terminal dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) to detect the apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells in the endplate.
RESULTS: After 4 weeks, the microvasculature density was 91 ± 8 vessels/mm2 in Group A, 47 ± 2 vessels/mm2 (P<0.001) in Group B, demonstrating that vessels were reduced in the endplate of intervertebral disc degeneration. The CD31 immunofluorescence and TUNEL showed that the apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells exists in the endplate of intervertebral disc degeneration.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells results in a decrease in the endplate microvasculature density, further affect the pathological process of intervertebral disc degeneration.

PMID: 30703600 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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