title: Tumor necrosis factor-α-immunoreactive cells in nucleus pulposus in adolescent patients with lumbar disc herniation.
abstract: METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in nucleus pulposus of adolescent patients with lumbar disc herniation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether an inflammatory cytokine is expressed in the nucleus pulposus of adolescent patients with lumbar disc herniation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  TNFα is thought to play a crucial role in the radicular pain caused by lumbar disc herniation in adult patients. However, the expression of TNFα in the nucleus pulposus of adolescent patients with lumbar disc herniation has not been explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five samples of nucleus pulposus from adolescent patients with lumbar disc herniation (age, 12-16 yr; n = 5) or controls requiring surgery for other back problems (age, 12-16 yr; n = 4; nonpainful scoliosis) were harvested during surgery. Nucleus pulposus specimens were immunostained using TNFα antibodies and immunostained cells in the nucleus pulposus were counted. We compared the expression of TNFα between the 2 groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In patients with lumbar disc herniation, more TNFα-immunoreactive cells were seen in the nucleus pulposus in comparison with patients with nonpainful scoliosis (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that TNFα may play a role in adolescent patients with lumbar disc herniation. The TNFα expression may be related with disc degeneration and pain in adolescent patients with lumbar disc herniation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. sohtori@faculty.chiba-u.jp
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohtori
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Yawara
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.forename: Sumihisa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Orita
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takaso
authors.forename: Nobuyasu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kishida
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuniyoshi
authors.forename: Yasuchika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Tetsuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyagi
authors.forename: Hiroto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamoda
authors.forename: Miyako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakuma
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oikawa
authors.forename: Gou
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Kazuhide
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inage
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sainoh
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toyone
authors.forename: Kazuyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kotani
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akazawa
authors.forename: Shohei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D007866:Leg; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha