Quantitative differences in intervertebral disc-matrix composition with age-related degeneration.
This study was carried out to determine the effect of age on the intervertebral disc, using a rabbit model. Anulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus tissue from New Zealand white rabbits aged 3 years old (old rabbits) and 6 months old (young rabbits) were used. The water content, the proteoglycan, the DNA content, and the mRNA levels of aggrecan, type I collagen, and type II collagen were all measured for each sample. Water, proteoglycan, DNA, and the mRNA levels of aggrecan and type II collagen were all greater in the nucleus pulposus of the young rabbits as compared to the old. For the anulus fibrosus, the difference between young and old is less marked with only proteoglycan and DNA being greater in the young disc as compared to the old. Clearly, according to our results, it is the nucleus pulposus that suffers the brunt of the changes with age.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Morioka, Japan.
Hideki
H
Murakami
Tim S
TS
Yoon
Emad S
ES
Attallah-Wasif
Chaiwat
C
Kraiwattanapong
Ichiro
I
Kikkawa
William C
WC
Hutton
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000378:metabolism*; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits
D011509:Proteoglycans; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003094:Collagen; D004247:DNA