title: Increased sulfatase 1 gene expression in degenerative intervertebral disc cells.
abstract: Sulfatase 1 (SULF1) plays a key role in cell signaling involving in cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, and migration. Abnormal SULF1 expression has been implicated in the development of various cancers and diseases of the skeletal and nervous systems. The present study aims to examine the difference in SULF1 expression between degenerative and non-degenerative intervertebral discs (IVDs) to provide an enhanced understanding of disc degeneration. Degenerative and non-degenerative disc tissues were surgically harvested from patients and experimental rats. Disc degeneration-specific genes were identified by microarray analysis. The gene expression of SULF1 was measured by sulfatase assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time RT-PCR, and western blotting. Also, the presence of SULF1 in human and rat discs was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. More specifically in human cells, an increase of SULF1 gene expression was observed in degenerative cells at both mRNA and protein levels, as well as in time- and dose-dependent manner in response to TNF-α treatment. Increased staining of SULF1 was detected in degenerative discs compared to non-degenerative discs for humans and rats. These findings show an upregulation of SULF1 in degenerative discs for the first time, and suggest that there is a link between SULF1 and disc degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spine Section, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsung-Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Natalie Yi-Ju
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Hung-Chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Po-Liang
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Chi-Chien
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Lih-Huei
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen-Jer
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jong-Hwei S
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Pang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D015238:Sulfotransferases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C470791:SULF1 protein, human; C507077:Sulf1 protein, rat; D015238:Sulfotransferases
keywords: TNF-α; disc degeneration; gene expression; microarray analysis; sulfatase