Prolonged upright posture induces degenerative changes in intervertebral discs in rat lumbar spine.
METHODS
Both forelimbs of rats were amputated, and these rats were kept in the custom-made cages that kept the rats in prolonged upright posture. Pathologic changes were observed in the lumbar spine at different time points after the surgery.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of upright posture on intervertebral discs of rat lumbar spine.


BACKGROUND
Previous studies have shown that increased axial forces on the spine can decrease the height of the intervertebral disc, but there are no data to indicate whether or not long-term and repeated assumption of the upright posture could result in degenerative changes.


METHODS
The forelimbs of 30 rats were amputated when they were 1-month old. These rats were kept in the custom-made cages and were forced to stand upright on their hind-limbs and tails to obtain water and food. Normal rats of the same ages kept in regular cages were used as control. The rats were killed at 5, 7, and 9 months after the surgery, and the intervertebral discs samples of lumbar spine were harvested for histologic and immunohistochemical studies. Total RNA isolated from these samples was used for real-time PCR of type II collagen (Col2alpha1), type X collagen (Col10alpha1), matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), aggrecan, and disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS-5). RESULTS.: Histologic analysis showed degenerative changes of the intervertebral discs after surgery such as disordered collagen structure of endplate cartilage, fragmentation of annulus fibrosus, and decreased height of disc. Immunostaining revealed decreased protein level of type II collagen and increased protein expression of type X collagen. Real-time PCR showed upregulated expression of MMP 13, ADAMTS-5, and Col10alpha1 mRNA and downregulated mRNA expression of Col2alpha1 and aggrecan.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term and repeated assumption of the upright stance accelerates disc degeneration in rats.
Liang
Qian-Qian
QQ
Institute of Spine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Zhou
Quan
Q
Zhang
Min
M
Hou
Wei
W
Cui
Xue-Jun
XJ
Li
Chen-Guang
CG
Li
Tian-Fang
TF
Shi
Qi
Q
Wang
Yong-Jun
YJ