title: Novel treatment of neuroinflammation against low back pain by soluble fullerol nanoparticles.
abstract: METHODS
  An in vitro study to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of fullerol on mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) under tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α induction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the potential of a free radical scavenger, fullerol nanoparticles, to prevent DRG tissue and neuron inflammatory responses under TNF-α induction in vitro.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for clinician visits in Western societies. Symptomatic intervertebral disc degeneration is strongly implicated as a cause of low back pain, as it results in DRG inflammation. Increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is associated with DRG inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  With or without fullerol treatment, DRG tissue and DRG neurons isolated from wild-type C3H/HeNCrl (Charles River Laboratories, Wilmington, MA) mice were cultured under TNF-α induction. The amount of intracellular ROS was measured with H2DCFDA (Life Technologies Corporation, Grand Island, NY) fluorescence staining. Cellular apoptosis was detected via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assay. The expression of inflammatory as well as antioxidative enzyme genes in neurons was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. In addition, inflammatory cytokine expression in DRG tissue was determined by immunofluorescence staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fluorescence staining results indicated that TNF-α markedly increased the production of intracellular ROS and the number of apoptotic cells. Under fullerol treatment, cellular apoptosis was reduced along with concomitant suppression of ROS. The expression of inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1 β, interleukin 6, cyclooxygenase-2, and prostaglandin E2, was also inhibited by fullerol in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, fullerol-treated cells exhibited upregulation of antioxidative enzyme genes superoxide dismutase 2 and catalase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained from this study clearly suggest that fullerol treatment suppresses the inflammatory responses of DRG and neurons, as well as cellular apoptosis by decreasing the level of ROS and potentially enhancing antioxidative enzyme gene expression. Therefore, fullerol has potential to serve as a novel therapeutic agent for low back pain treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  N/A.
authors: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
authors: Qihai
authors: Q
authors: Liu
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Jin
authors: Brian H
authors: BH
authors: Mahon
authors: Mahendra D
authors: MD
authors: Chordia
authors: Francis H
authors: FH
authors: Shen
authors: Xudong
authors: X
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D037741:Fullerenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D053758:Nanoparticles; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012995:Solubility; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D000099156:Superoxide Dismutase 2
chemical_list: D002374:Catalase; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D037741:Fullerenes; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000099156:Superoxide Dismutase 2; C077623:Ptgs2 protein, mouse