[Association of transforming growth factor-β1 with pathological grading of intervertebral disc degeneration].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the role of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in intervertebral disc degeneration and its association with the pathological grading of disc degeneration.


METHODS
Normal and degenerative intervertebral disc tissues were collected were classified into 5 grades of increasing degenerative changes. HE staining, immunohistochemistry, TUNEL staining and RT-PCR were used to detect the expression of TGF-β1 in the disc tissues.


RESULTS
Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR showed positive expressions of TGF-β1 and Bcl-2 in normal disc tissues, where Bax was expressed at have a trace level. In the degenerative disc tissues, TGF-β1 expression increased with the pathological grades; the expression levels of TGF-β1 showed significant differences between degenerative and normal tissues and between grade IV and grade I disc tissues (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
TGF-β1 is an important factor participating in the disc degeneration and its expression level is closely related to the pathological grade of degenerative discs.
Department of Interventional Radiology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. yang1023yang@yahoo.com.cn
Yang
Y
Yang
Xiaofeng
X
He
Yanhao
Y
Li
Jianyu
J
Feng
Huajin
H
Pang
Jiangyun
J
Wang
Qing
Q
Liu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*
C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1