[Restraining degeneration of punctured intervertebral discs by transplantation of rabbit nucleus pulposus cells and marrow stroma cells].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the ability of transplanted nucleus pulposus cells (NPC) and marrow stroma cells (MSC) in restraining the degeneration of punctured intervertebral discs in rabbits.


METHODS
The passage 3 NPC and MSC were harvested for transplantation. Fifteen New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups: saline group (3), MSC group (6) and NPC group (6). The L3/4, L4/5, and L5/6 discs of the rabbits were stabbed and punctured using a 18G needle. The rabbits were then treated with saline, MSC, or NPC in their respective groups. The untreated L2/3, L6/7, and L7/S1 discs served as self controls. The lateral projection of lumbar vertebrae X rays and sagittal Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Images of the lumbar verteral T2 weighed signals were collected before and 4, 6 and 8 weeks after the operations. The %DHI and standardized T2WI (ST2WI) were measured using Image-pro plus 6.0 and Merge eFilm Workstation.


RESULTS
All animals survived above 8 weeks after been transplanted. The transplantation effectively restrained the degeneration of the punctured discs. The NPC group had higher %DHI in week 8 (79.29 +/- 2.53)% than in week 6 (74.31 +/- 42.59)% (P<0.05). However, no difference of %DHI appeared between the NPC and MSC group in week 8. The NPC group had stronger T2 weighed signals in week 8 than the MSC group.


CONCLUSIONS
Both NPC and MSC restrain the degeneration of punctured discs. NPC have shown stronger potential of extracellular matrix synthesis, and height and water content recovery of discs.
Zhao
Xian-feng
XF
Department of Orthopaedics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Liu
Hao
H
Feng
Gan-jun
GJ
Liang
Tao
T
Chen
Xian
X
Huang
Lin
L
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000637:transplantation*