title: Oxidative/Nitrosative Stress in Patients With Modic Changes: Preliminary Controlled Study.
abstract: METHODS
  Oxidative/nitrosative stress in vertebral endplates of patients with low back pain and Modic changes (MCs) (types I, II, and III) endplate changes on magnetic resonance imaging.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the levels of oxidative/nitrosative stress biomarkers in patients with MCs.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Degenerated discs and endplate abnormalities is postulated as a possible source of low back pain. Oxidative/nitrosative stress plays an important the role in various human diseases. However, the presence of oxidative/nitrosative stress has not been studied in patients with low back pain and endplate changes on magnetic resonance imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with MCI, II, and III (n = 32) and age- and sex-matched controls subjects (n = 15) were enrolled in this study. Also, 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) and nitric oxide levels as nitrosative stress biomarkers were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Also, the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) as oxidative stress biomarkers were determined on spectrophotometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oxidative/nitrosative stress was confirmed by the significant elevation in nitric oxide, 3-NT, MDA and decreased of CAT and SOD activities in MCI compared with other MCs and the control group (P < 0.05). The highest CAT and SOD activities were found in patients with MCII compared with the other MCs and the control group. However, the levels of nitric oxide, 3-NT, and MDA showed moderate increase in this group (P < 0.05). In addition, the levels of nitrosative stress biomarkers in patients with MCIII were approximated to the control values (P > 0.05). However, the levels of oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with MCIII were slightly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicated that oxidative/nitrosative stress in patients with MCI may be aggravated as a result of oxidant/antioxidant imbalance and it may cause formation of the lesion in these patients. However, the increased antioxidant activities and MDA, 3-NT levels in patients with MCII and MCIII may be an adaptative response to against oxidative/nitrosative stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  4.
authors.affiliation: Departments of *Biochemistry, and †Brain and Nerve Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ergul
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Belge Kurutas
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Senoglu
authors.forename: Kasim Zafer
authors.initials: KZ
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.forename: Velid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Unsal
authors.forename: Idris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Altun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C002744:3-nitrotyrosine; D014443:Tyrosine; D008315:Malondialdehyde