Effect of transforming growth factor-beta on fibroblasts in ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.
We studied the immunohistochemical localization of TGF-beta in the ligament tissue of patients with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), and the effects of TGF-beta on cultured cells derived from the spinal ligament of patients with OPLL. ALP activity in the cultured cells was also examined. TGF-beta was present in the ossified matrix and in the chondrocytes in cartilaginous areas adjacent to OPLL. ALP activity was high in the cultured cells of OPLL patients. Exogenous TGF-beta inhibited proliferation in the OPLL cells but promoted proliferation in control cells. These results suggest that the spinal ligaments of OPLL patients have an osteogenetic predisposition and that TFG-beta may play a role in the ossification.
Inaba
K
K
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Japan.
Matsunaga
S
S
Ishidou
Y
Y
Imamura
T
T
Yoshida
H
H
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002455:Cell Division; D002645:Chickens; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D017887:Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta