Association between the expression of aggrecan and the distribution of aggrecan gene variable number of tandem repeats with symptomatic lumbar disc herniation in Chinese Han of Northern China.
METHODS
Case-control study.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between the expression of aggrecan and the aggrecan gene variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism with symptomatic lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in Chinese Han of Northern China.


BACKGROUND
Aggrecan fragments have been found in human degenerated discs, and an association between the aggrecan VNTR polymorphism and intervertebral disc degeneration has been previously reported in middle-aged Finnish men. However, the relationship between the munity of symptomatic LDH with the expression of aggrecan and aggrecan gene VNTR has not been well studied.


METHODS
The disease group consisted of 70 patients already diagnosed with symptomatic LDH. The control group consisted of 14 patients restricted to spinal trauma and 113 healthy blood donors without symptoms of LDH who were not diagnosed with LDH. Disc tissue samples were obtained from surgical operations, and blood samples were donated from all participants. The aggrecan expression in isolated tissues was assessed by Western blot using specific antibodies. The aggrecan gene VNTR region was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
The aggrecan expression positive rate of control group was statistically and significantly higher (P < 0.001) than that of the disease group. Moreover, there was a statistically significant higher frequency of allele 25 or allele 21 in disease group compared with controls (P(A25) = 0.003416 and P(A21) = 0.000716). Compared with the participants with 2 alleles > 25 repeats, subjects with 1 or 2 alleles < or = 25 repeats statistically and significantly overrepresented the disease group without the expression of aggrecan (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest a relation between aggrecan and symptomatic LDH, where symptomatic LDH has a lower tendency of allele repeats. In addition, this study observed an association between the distribution of aggrecan gene VNTR polymorphism and the expression of aggrecan in symptomatic LDH.
Cong
Lin
L
Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
Pang
Hao
H
Xuan
Dwight
D
Tu
Guan Jun
GJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D053674:Aggrecans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D015870:Gene Expression; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D055815:Young Adult
D053674:Aggrecans