Learning curve of junior surgeons in robot-assisted pedicle screw placement: a comparative cohort study.

Objective: Robot-assisted technology has been gradually applied to pedicle screw placement in spinal surgery. This study was designed to detailedly evaluate the learning curve of junior surgeons in robot-assisted spine surgery.

Methods: From December 2020 to February 2022, 199 patients requiring surgical treatment with posterior pedicle screw fixation were prospectively recruited into the study.

Leptin accelerates BMSC transformation into vertebral epiphyseal plate chondrocytes by activating SENP1-mediated deSUMOylation of SIRT3.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are capable of multidirectional differentiation, and engrafted BMSCs can be used to replace damaged chondrocytes for treatment of intervertebral disc disease. However, chondroblast differentiation of implanted BMSCs is inhibited by the anoxic environment of the articular cavity. Here, we found that leptin enhanced the transformation of BMSCs into chondrocytes under hypoxic conditions.

C-type lectin domain-containing protein CLEC3A regulates proliferation, regeneration and maintenance of nucleus pulposus cells.

It is widely assumed that as connective tissue, the intervertebral disc (IVD) plays a crucial role in providing flexibility for the spinal column. The disc is comprised of three distinct tissues: the nucleus pulposus (NP), ligamentous annulus fibrous (AF) that surrounds the NP, and the hyaline cartilaginous endplates (CEP). Nucleus pulposus, composed of chondrocyte-like NP cells and its secreted gelatinous matrix, is critical for disc health and function.

Inclination of the small laminar slope angle leads to lumbar spinal stenosis due to hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum.

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the relationship between the laminar slope angle (LSA) and the lumbar disc degenerative grade, the cross-section area (CSA) of multifidus muscle, the muscle-fat index, and the thickness of the ligamentum flavum.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 122 patients who were scheduled to undergo a lumbar operation for diagnoses associated with degenerative lumbar disease between January and December 2017. The L4-L5 disc grade was evaluated from preoperative sagittal T2-weighed magnetic resonance imaging of the lumber region; the CSA of the multifidus and muscle-fat index were measured at the L4 level, while the thickness of the ligamentum flavum was measured at the L4-L5 facet level from axis T2-weighed magnetic resonance imaging.

SIRT6 enhances telomerase activity to protect against DNA damage and senescence in hypertrophic ligamentum flavum cells from lumbar spinal stenosis patients.

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a condition wherein patients exhibit age-related fibrosis, elastin-to-collagen ratio reductions, and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. This study was designed to assess the relationship between SIRT6 and telomerase activity in hypertrophic ligamentum flavum (LFH) cells from LSS patients. We observed significant reductions in SIRT6, TPP1, and POT1 protein levels as well as increases in telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) levels and telomerase activity in LFH tissues relative to non- hypertrophic ligamentum flavum (LFN) tissues.

Circular RNA Expression Profile in Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Associated with Hypertrophied Ligamentum Flavum.

Study Design: Sequencing and experimental analysis of the expression profile of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in hypertrophic ligamentum flavum (LFH).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed circRNAs between LFH and nonhypertrophic ligamentum flavum tissues from lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patients.

Summary Of Background Data: Hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum (LF) can cause LSS.

MiR-874-3p plays a protective role in intervertebral disc degeneration by suppressing MMP2 and MMP3.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a spinal degenerative disease and one of the most important causes of musculoskeletal disability. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-mediated extracellular matrix degradation is the core process of IDD. The regulators of MMPs in the intervertebral disc are still not fully known.

Selective thoracolumbar/lumbar fusion for Syringomyelia-associated scoliosis: a case-control study with Lenke 5C adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Background: Selective thoracolumbar/lumbar fusion technique was introduced to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients with major thoracolumbar/lumbar curves. Theoretically, this surgical strategy could also be applied to syringomyelia patients. No previous study has specifically addressed the effectiveness of selective thoracolumbar/lumbar fusion for patients with syringomyelia-associated scoliosis.

Polydatin induces apoptosis and autophagy via STAT3 signaling in human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells.

Polydatin, a natural product, is detected in many daily diets, such as grape juices and peanut. Autophagy regulation is recognized as a new potential strategy for cancer therapy, and previous studies demonstrated that polydatin showed remarkable anti-cancer ability. Nevertheless, the capability of polydatin to induce autophagy and its role in anti-osteosarcoma remains obscure.

Antinociceptive effect of intrathecal injection of miR-9-5p modified mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on a mouse model of bone cancer pain.

Background: A growing body of studies have indicated that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have powerful analgesic effects in animal models of bone cancer pain. Here, we explored the molecular mechanisms underlying how BMSCs alleviate pain sensation in a mouse model of bone cancer pain.

Methods: C3H/HeN adult male mice were used to generate a bone cancer pain model.

LncRNA SNHG4 promotes tumour growth by sponging miR-224-3p and predicts poor survival and recurrence in human osteosarcoma.

Objective: Accumulating data show that dysregulation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) acts a critical role in a variety of malignancies. Among these lncRNAs, small nucleolar RNA host genes (SNHGs) are associated with tumour growth and progression. But, the molecular mechanisms by which SNHG4 contributes to osteosarcoma remain undocumented.

miR-149-5p inhibits cell growth by regulating TWEAK/Fn14/PI3K/AKT pathway and predicts favorable survival in human osteosarcoma.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as small non-coding RNAs act as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes in human cancers, of which miR-149-5p (miR-149) is involved in tumor growth and metastasis, but its role and molecular mechanisms underlying osteosarcoma growth are poorly understood. The correlation of miR-149 expression with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in patients with sarcoma was analyzed by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA-sequencing data. Osteosarcoma cell growth affected by miR-149 was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and colony formation assays.

Regulation of osteogenic differentiation by DNA methylation of the dishevelled gene in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are stem cells with multidirectional differentiation potential, which can be used as seed cells to repair and reconstruct many types of tissues and organs following injury or disease. Osteogenic differentiation involves a variety of pathway and factors, including cytokines, growth factors, and hormones. In the present study, we investigated the potential role of Dishevelled in osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in induction medium containing the methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine.

Effects of Low Bone Mineral Status on Biomechanical Characteristics in Idiopathic Scoliotic Spinal Deformity.

Background: Low bone mass in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis has been well reported. Poor bone quality was regarded as a new and unique prognostic factor in aggravating curve progression. However, the potential biomechanical correlation between them remains unclear.

Leptin differentially regulates endochondral ossification in tibial and vertebral epiphyseal plates.

Longitudinal bone growth is governed by a complex network of endocrine signals including leptin. In mouse, leptin deficiency leads to distinct phenotypes in bones of the limb and spine, suggesting the appendicular and axial skeletons are subject to differential regulation by leptin. We established primary cultures for the chondrocytes from tibial and vertebral epiphyseal plates.

Autophagic degradation of FOXO3a represses the expression of to block cell apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant osteosarcoma cells.

Autophagy and apoptosis are the two major modes of cell death, and autophagy usually inhibits apoptosis. The current understanding has shown that there is a complex crosstalk between the components of these two pathways. Here, we describe a transcriptional mechanism that links autophagy to apoptosis.

RNA sequencing identifies gene expression profile changes associated with β-estradiol treatment in U2OS osteosarcoma cells.

This study was conducted to identify gene expression profile changes associated with β-estradiol (E2) treatment in U2OS osteosarcoma cells by high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Two U2OS cell samples treated with E2 (15 μmol/L) and two untreated control U2OS cell samples were subjected to RNA-seq. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the groups were identified, and main biological process enrichment was performed using gene ontology (GO) analysis.

Correlation of the Features of the Lumbar Multifidus Muscle With Facet Joint Osteoarthritis.

Facet joint osteoarthritis is considered a consequence of the aging process; however, there is evidence that it may be associated with degenerative changes of other structures. The goal of this study was to investigate the correlation between lumbar multifidus muscle features and facet joint osteoarthritis. This retrospective study included 160 patients who had acute or chronic low back pain and were diagnosed with facet joint osteoarthritis on computed tomography scan.

Leptin differentially regulates chondrogenesis in mouse vertebral and tibial growth plates.

Background: Leptin plays an important role in mediating chondrogenesis of limb growth plate. Previous studies suggest that bone structures and development of spine and limb are different. The expression of Ob-Rb, the gene that encodes leptin receptors, is vertebral and appendicular region-specific, suggesting the regulation of leptin on VGP and TGP chondrogenesis may be very different.

Outcome of Bilateral C1 Laminar Hooks Combined With C2 Pedicle Screw Fixation for the Treatment of C1-C2 Instability: A Report of 18 Cases From a Single Chinese Center.

Study Design: A retrospective technical report.

Objective: To assess the effect of bilateral C1 laminar hooks combined with C2 pedicle screw fixation for the treatment of C1-C2 instability.

Summary Of Background Data: Various posterior atlantoaxial fixations for C1-C2 instability have been developed.

CRL4B E3 ligase targets p21 for degradation to control cell cycle progression in human osteosarcoma cells.

Cell cycle progression in mammals is strictly controlled by a number of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and CDK inhibitors (CKIs), the expression of which is often dysregulated in cancer cells. Our previous work revealed that Cullin 4B (CUL4B), a critical component of the Cullin4B-RING E3 ligase complex (CRL4B), is overexpressed in human osteosarcoma cells through an unknown mechanism. Here, we demonstrated that CUL4B forms an E3 ligase with RBX1 (RING-box 1), DDB1 (DNA damage binding protein 1), and DCAF11 (DDB1 and CUL4 associated factor 11) in human osteosarcoma cells.

An Agonist of the Protective Factor SIRT1 Improves Functional Recovery and Promotes Neuronal Survival by Attenuating Inflammation after Spinal Cord Injury.

Targeting posttraumatic inflammation is crucial for improving locomotor function. SIRT1 has been shown to play a critical role in disease processes such as hepatic inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, and acute lung inflammation by regulating inflammation. However, the role of SIRT1 in spinal cord injury (SCI) is unknown.

The Effect of Estradiol on the Growth Plate Chondrocytes of Limb and Spine from Postnatal Mice : The Role of Estrogen-Receptor and Estradiol Concentration.

Skeletal development is a complex process. Little is known about the different response of limb or spine growth plate chondrocytes (LGP or SGP) to the estrogen level and the role of estrogen receptor (ER) during postnatal stage. LGP and SGP chondrocytes were isolated from 50 one-week mice and treated with different concentrations of 17β-estradiol.