The Study Of The Expression Of OPG And RANKL In The Process Of Lumbar Degenerative Endplate Cartilage And Their Correlations

Objective:To explore the roles of OPG and RANKL in the process of lumbar endplatecartilage degeneration and the analysis of the relevance by detecting the expressionsof OPG and RANKL in degenerated lumbar endplate cartilage byimmunohistochemistry. It aims to provide a new strategy for the research andtreatment of lumbar degenerative disk disease.Methods:1. Selection of specimen: the lumbar endplate cartilage tissues of40patients,who were diagnosed as lumbar degenerative disk disease and thoracolumbar vertebralfracture and performed spinal surgeries at the First affiliated Hospital of University ofSouth China, were collected from May2013to October2013, including30cases inthe experimental group, normal control group with10cases. We collected generalinformation and MRI results of the patients before surgery. According to the Videmangrading scoring criteria, we divided patients into four groups: group A scoring0points is defined as no nucleus pulposus degeneration and thoracolumbar fractureswith relatively normal intervertebral disk neighbors; group B scoring from1to3points is defined as mild nucleus pulposus degeneration; group C scoring from4to6points is defined as moderate nucleus pulposus degeneration; group D scoring from7to9points is defined as severe nucleus pulposus degeneration.2. Detection of OPGand RANKL: we detected the expressions of OPG and RANKL in degeneratedlumbar endplate cartilage by immunohistochemistry.3. Statistical analysis: weanalyzed the expression of OPG and RANKL by Phoenix microscopic image processing and analysis software. We used the Motic Image Advanced3.2imageanalysis software for image analysis and data collection. The data was analyzed bySPSS19.0statistical software.Results:The mean option density of OPG in lumbar endplate cartilage was graduallyincreased with the aggravation of intervertebral disc degeneration, while RANKL wasgradually reduced(p<0.01). Moreover, there is a negative correlation between OPGand RANKL (r=-0.793, p<0.01); the expression of OPG were positively correlatedwith age (r=0.867, p<0.01), while RANKL expression were negatively correlated withage (r=-0.837, p<0.01); expression of OPG and RANKL were not significant differentbetween men and women.Conclusions:Both OPG and RANKL are correlated with intervertebral disc degeneration inlumbar endplate cartilage.