Turkish Neurosurgery 2010 , Vol 20 , Num 4
Catabolic Cytokine Expressions in Patients with Degenerative Disc Disease
Sibel AKYOL1, Berna Senel ERASLAN2, Hakan ETYEMEZ3, Taner TANRIVERDI4, Murat HANCI5
1Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Department of Physiology Istanbul, Turkey
2Forensic Medicine, Government of Justice, Istanbul, Turkey
3,4,5Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Department of Neurosurgery Istanbul, Turkey
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.3394-10.1 Aim: Lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a common disease of advanced age characterized by progressive changes in the intervertebral disc and associated structures. There have been great efforts for years to explain its pathophysiological mechanism(s). This study aims to provide cytokine profile and in addition to the lymphocytes in a population of patients with lumbar DDD.

Material and Methods: Twenty-six patients whose clinical and radiological features were suggestive of lumbar DDD that underwent surgery and 14 autopsy cases as control were included. Patient disc samples were obtained during surgery whilst disc materials were collected during autopsy procedures from the controls. Major cytokines and lymphocytes were studied by using the flow cytometry method.

Results: Significantly higher levels in disc samples in relation to IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, CD8, CD56, CD19, and CD40 were found in the patients compared to the controls. Positive correlations were shown between CD3/CD4, CD25/CD3, CD25/CD4, CD19/CD4 but negative correlations were shown between CD19/CD3 and CD25/CD19 in both groups.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that both local inflammatory responses occur in lumbar DDD. Using specific cytokines either by local or systemic application may reverse the degenerative process. Keywords : Brain hemorrhage, Hemostasis, Magnetic resonance, Microporous polysaccharide hemospheres, Oxidized regenerated cellulose

Corresponding author : Sibel Akyol, sibelakyol@gmail.com