title: Histological Identification ofPropionibacterium acnesin Nonpyogenic Degenerated Intervertebral Discs.
abstract: Purpose. Low-virulence anaerobic bacteria, especially thePropionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), have been thought to be a new pathogeny for a series of disc diseases. However, until now, there has been no histological evidence to confirm this link. The purpose of this study was to confirm the presence ofP. acnesin nonpyogenic intervertebral discs via histological observation.Method. Degenerated intervertebral discs were harvested from 76 patients with low back pain and/or sciatica but without any symptoms of discitis or spondylodiscitis. The samples were cultured under anaerobic conditions and then examined using 16S rDNA PCR to screen forP. acnes. Samples found to be positive forP. acneswere stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and modified Brown-Brenn staining and observed under a microscope.Results. Here, 16 intervertebral discs were found to be positive forP. acnesvia 16S rDNA PCR and the prevalence was 21.05% (16/76). Among them, 7 samples had visible microbes stained with HE and modified Brown-Brenn staining. Morphological examination showed the bacteria to be Gram-positive and rod-shaped, so they were consideredP. acnes.Conclusion.P. acnesis capable of colonizing some degenerated intervertebral discs without causing discitis, and its presence could be further confirmed by histological evidence. Targeting these bacteria may be a promising therapy method for some disc diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases with Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zezhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases with Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yucheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases with Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Changwei
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9324-4685
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital North, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yuehuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases with Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yazhou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jiaqi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases with Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9721-5301
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases with Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8703-9503
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015299:Discitis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012585:Sciatica / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S