| Objects: herniated Lumbar intervertebral disc is one of the common diseasesfound in human. According to incomplete statistical data, patients with herniatedlumbar intervertebral disc take up30%of those with lumbocrural pain, which, in turn,account for70%of those seeking medical treatment in Orthopaedic Clinic. In China,herniated lumbar intervertebral disc is the primary reason for workforce loss inpopulation aged below50years. It takes great tolls annually to treat herniated lumbarintervertebral disc in terms of economic cost, human resource and material resource inChina. Studies eliciting the etiology and therapy of herniated lumbar intervertebral dischave always been the hotspot of orthopedic field. It is clear currently that intervertebralDisk Degeneration is the main reason for herniated lumbar intervertebral disc, lumbarspinal stenosis and chronic low-back pain, however, the etiology and parthenogenesisof intervertebral Disk Degeneration have not yet been fully elucidated, which thuswarrants more investigations. Therefore, in this study we explored the potentialrelationship between intervertebral Disk Degeneration and aquaporin, so as to betterunravel the etiology and parthenogenesis of intervertebral Disk Degeneration. Yao BiShu is a widely-used Chinese medicine for treatment of intervertebral DiskDegeneration, whereas the Pharmacology behind it still remains partly understood.In-depth studies are necessary; we tentatively explored the possible pharmaceuticalmechanism whereby Yao Bi Shu exerts its healing effect on intervertebral DiskDegeneration from the perspective of aquaporin expression.Methods: Forty-two New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into3groups,i.e. the Yao Bi Shu group, control group and sham group. The Yao Bi Shu group and control group were subjected to operation that induced intervertebral DiskDegeneration, while the sham group underwent sham operation. The Chinesemedicine, Yao Bi Shu. was continuously administered to the Yao Bi Shu group8dayspost operation, and the control group and sham group were left without treatment ofYao Bi Shu. Three rabbits from each of the three aforementioned groups wererandomly selected and executed1week,2weeks,4weeks and6weeks post operation,nucleus pulposus of intervertebral Disks were then dissected out and observed withhematoxylin-eosin staining. The mRNA and protein expression changes of AQP1andAQP3were measured and analyzed by Real-Time PCR and Western blot. Dataanalysis involved use of SPSS13.0program, one-way analysis of variance (F-test)was used to conduct between-group comparisons, and the method of Least SignificantDifference (LSD) was used to perform multiple comparisons.Results:1, For AQP1mRNA expression, no significant difference was found amongthe three groups1week post operation. The AQP1mRNA expression of the shamgroup1week post operation is higher than that of the Yao Bi Shu group or the controlgroup, a good indictor of a valid animal model. The AQP1mRNA expression of thecontrol group shows a decreasing trend as time elapsed from1week post operation,2weeks post operation,4weeks post operation to6weeks post operation. But the AQP1mRNA expression of the sham group stays at a steady level, which also indicates thesuccessful establishment of the sham group. The AQP1mRNA expression of the YaoBi Shu group displays a stepwise increasing trend and gradually stabilizes as timeelapsed from1week post operation,2weeks post operation,4weeks post operation to6weeks post operation.2, For AQP3mRNA expression, significant differences were found amongthe three groups1week post operation. The AQP3mRNA expression of the shamgroup1week post operation is higher than that of the Yao Bi Shu group or the controlgroup. The AQP3mRNA expression of the control group shows a decreasing trend as time elapsed from1week post operation,2weeks post operation,4weeks postoperation to6weeks post operation. But the AQP3mRNA expression of the shamgroup stays essentially unchanged. The AQP3mRNA expression of the Yao Bi Shugroup displays a stepwise increasing trend as time elapsed from1week post operation,2weeks post operation,4weeks post operation to6weeks post operation.3, For AQP1protein expression, no significant difference was found among thethree groups1week post operation. The AQP1protein expression of the control groupshows a decreasing trend as time elapsed from1week post operation,2weeks postoperation,4weeks post operation to6weeks post operation. But the AQP1proteinexpression of the sham group stays essentially unchanged. The AQP1proteinexpression of the Yao Bi Shu group displays a stepwise increasing trend as timeelapsed from1week post operation,2weeks post operation,4weeks post operation to6weeks post operation.4, For AQP3protein expression, no significant difference was found among thethree groups1week post operation. The AQP3protein expression of the control groupshows a decreasing trend as time elapsed from1week post operation,2weeks postoperation,4weeks post operation to6weeks post operation. But the AQP3proteinexpression of the sham group stays essentially unchanged. The AQP3proteinexpression of the Yao Bi Shu group displays a stepwise increasing trend as timeelapsed from1week post operation,2weeks post operation,4weeks post operation to6weeks post operation.Conclusions:1, The progression of intervertebral Disk Degeneration is accompanied bydecline of aquaporin expression, indicating that aquaporin plays an important part inmaintaining and reinforcing the normal function and morphology of lumbarintervertebral disc. Enhancing and maintaining the expression of aquaporin in lumbarintervertebral disc might serve as potential therapeutic strategy in tackling andtreating intervertebral Disk Degeneration, with certain practical value in clinical work.2, Yao Bi Shu, a Chinese medicine widely used to treat herniated Lumbar intervertebral disc, might quite likely exert its healing effect by up-regulating theexpression of aquaporin in lumbar intervertebral disc and subsequently facilitating theinflux of nutrient and the efflux of metabolic waste, and creating a favorable niche forthe recovery of Degenerated intervertebral Disk. |
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