人颈椎间盘退变与细胞凋亡及基质金属蛋白酶11的表达

背景：前期研究发现基质金属蛋白酶11基因在人退变颈、腰椎间盘组织中明显上调。目的：观察人退变颈椎间盘髓核组织中基质金属蛋白酶11的表达与细胞凋亡的关系。方法：纳入30个经MRI确认的退变颈椎间盘髓核组织和20个因颈椎创伤治疗获得的正常颈椎间盘髓核组织。结果与结论：苏木精-伊红染色显示退变的颈椎间盘髓核组织中髓核细胞较正常髓核组织明显减少（P〈0.01）,而凋亡细胞较正常髓核组织明显增多（P〈0.01）。免疫组化染色显示退变的颈椎间盘髓核组织中基质金属蛋白酶11的表达明显高于正常髓核组织（P〈0.01）,且基质金属蛋白酶11表达与TUNEL染色检测到的细胞凋亡正相关（r=0.44,P〈0.05）。说明高表达的基质金属蛋白酶11不仅可直接破坏细胞外基质尚可诱导髓核细胞凋亡,在椎间盘退变的过程中发挥重要作用。

Matrix metalloproteinase 11 expression and cell apoptosis in human cervical disc degeneration

BACKGROUND：Previous studies have shown that matrix metalloproteinase 11 gene is obviously upregulated in human degenerated cervical and lumbar disc tissues. OBJECTIVE：To investigate the relationship between matrix metalloproteinase 11 expression in human cervical intervertebral discs and cell apoptosis. METHODS：Thirty discs from patients with cervical spondylosis diagnosed by MRI, and 20 discs of individuals with cervical spinal trauma but without anamnesis evidence for disc degeneration or previous spine-ralated operations were included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION：Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that nucleus pulposus cells were signifcantly reduced （P 0.01）, but apoptotic cells were significantly increased （P 0.01） in the degenerated nucleus pulposus tissue of cervical intervertebral discs than in the normal nucleus pulposis tissue. Immunohistochemical staining showed that matrix metalloproteinase 11 expression was significantly greater （P 0.01） in the degenerated nucleus pulposus tissue of cervical intervertebral discs than in the normal nucleus pulposis tissue, and matrix metalloproteinase 11 expression was positively related to cell apoptosis detected by TUNEL（r=0.44, P 0.05）. Results showed that high expression of matrix metalloproteinase 11 can directly damage extracellular matrix, induce nucleus pulposis cell apoptosis, and therefore play an important role in the process of disc degeneration.