Expression And Significance Of BNIP3 In The Process Of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Objective :To observe the correlation between the expression of BNIP3 protein and intervertebral disc degeneration Matedals and Methods:Collection of 30 cases of lumbar intervertebral disc specimens treated with vertebral nucleus pulposus surgery in our hospital from February 2017 to August2017 due to lumbar disc herniation,divided into 5 groups according to the Pfirrmann classification of lumbar disc degeneration.Examination of apoptotic cells in intervertebral disc tissue by histological observation and TUNEL method.Detection of mRNA and protein expression of BNIP3 in nucleus pulposus tissue by Real-time PCR and Western blotting in each group of intervertebral disc specimens.The expression of Bax mRNA was detected by Real-time PCR and the relationship between BNIP3 expression,apoptosis and Pfirrmann grading was analyzed.Results:(1)Histological observation and TUNEL detection showed high density of Pfirrmann grade I nucleus pulposus cells,Occasionally a small amount of scattered apoptotic cells,Pfirrmann grade II medullary nucleus cells with higher density,see a small number of apoptotic cells.In Pfirrmann grade III,the density of nucleus pulposus cells is lower,see more apoptotic cells,Pfirrmann grade IV,V grade medullary nucleus cells are low density,there are a large number of apoptotic cells.(2)As the degree of degeneration of the intervertebral disc is aggravated,the expression of BNIP3 at the mRNA and protein levels is gradually increased.(3)As the degree of degeneration of the intervertebral disc is aggravated,the expression of Bax at the mRNA level gradually increases.Conclusions:(1)The degree of intervertebral disc degeneration is related to the density of intervertebral disc nucleus.(2)Apoptosis of intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus is one of the main reasonsfor the decrease of intervertebral disc nucleus pulp density(3)BNIP3 may be involved in the apoptosis and degeneration of nucleus pulposus cells,and the increase of BNIP3 expression may promote the apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells.