The bacteria-positive proportion in the disc tissue samples from surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: The role of bacteria, especially Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), in human intervertebral disc diseases has raised attention in recent years. However, limited sample size of these studies and diverse bacteria-positive proportion made this topic still controversial.

Nucleolar Stress: hallmarks, sensing mechanism and diseases.

The nucleolus is a prominent subnuclear compartment, where ribosome biosynthesis takes place. Recently, the nucleolus has gained attention for its novel role in the regulation of cellular stress. Nucleolar stress is emerging as a new concept, which is characterized by diverse cellular insult-induced abnormalities in nucleolar structure and function, ultimately leading to activation of p53 or other stress signaling pathways and alterations in cell behavior.

MLN4924 Exerts a Neuroprotective Effect against Oxidative Stress via Sirt1 in Spinal Cord Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Oxidative stress is a leading contributor to spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion (SCIR) injury. Recently, MLN4924, a potent and selective inhibitor of the NEDD8-activating enzyme, was shown to exert a neuroprotective effect against oxidative stress . However, it is unknown whether MLN4924 plays a protective role against SCIR injury.

Microbicidal Phagocytosis of Nucleus Pulposus Cells Against via the TLR2/MAPKs Signaling Pathway.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) is an immune-privileged organ that lacks immunocytes, such as macrophages or neutrophils; therefore, it is unclear how IVD immunological defense against bacterial infection occurs. Here, we demonstrated that nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), the vital machinery for maintaining the homeostasis of IVD, exerted microbicidal activity against via induction of phagolysosome formation. Moreover, we found that the Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)/mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathway is critical for bacterial phagocytosis and phagolysosome formation of NPCs.

Establishment and validation of a novel survival prediction scoring algorithm for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer spinal metastasis.

Background: This study was to develop an algorithm capable of predicting the survival of patients with NSCLC spinal metastasis for individualized therapy.

Methods: We identified 176 consecutive patients with NSCLC spinal metastasis between 2006 and 2017. Twenty-four features, including age, gender, smoking, KPS, paralysis, histological subtype, tumor stage, surgery, EGFR status, CEA, CA125, CA19-9, NSE, SCC, CYFRA21-1, calcium, AKP, albumin, the number of spinal, extra-spinal bone and visceral metastasis, time to metastasis, pathological fracture, and primary or secondary metastasis, were retrospectively analyzed.

Tumor immunohistochemistry and preoperative magnetic resonance imaging features predict local recurrence of giant cell tumor of bone following intralesional curettage.

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is among the most prevalent types of tumor of the bone in East and Southeast Asia. The high rate of local recurrence following intralesional curettage poses a challenge for the clinical treatment of GCTB. In the present study, the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB (RANK) and RANK ligand (RANKL) in GCTB was investigated by immunohistochemical staining.

TRAF6 neddylation drives inflammatory arthritis by increasing NF-κB activation.

Neddylation is a process similar to ubiquitination, and is critical in various inflammatory diseases; however, its importance in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis is not well understood. Here, we investigated the role of neddylation in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and its clinical relevance. We showed that neddylation-related genes, including NEDD8 and CULLIN-1, were significantly upregulated in inflamed arthritic synovia.

CD24 identifies nucleus pulposus progenitors/notochordal cells for disc regeneration.

Background: Cell-based therapy by transplantation of nucleus pulposus (NP) progenitor/notochordal cells has been proposed as a promising way to halt and reverse the progression of disc degeneration. Although some studies have provided a broad panel of potential markers associated with the phenotype of notochordal cells, suitability of these markers for isolation of notochordal cells for the treatment of disc degeneration is unclear.

Results: Here, we found that the number of CD24-positive NP cells significantly decreased with increasing severity of disc degeneration.

Propionibacterium acnes induces discogenic low back pain via stimulating nucleus pulposus cells to secrete pro-algesic factor of IL-8/CINC-1 through TLR2-NF-κB p65 pathway.

Latent infection of Propionibacterium acnes was considered as a new pathogeny for low back pain (LBP); however, there is no credible animal evidence or mechanism hypothesis. This study proved that P. acnes is a causative pathogen of bacteria-induced LBP and investigated its underlying mechanism.

SF-deferoxamine, a bone-seeking angiogenic drug, prevents bone loss in estrogen-deficient mice.

Deferoxamine (DFO) possesses a good chelating capability and is therefore used for the clinical treatment of ion deposition diseases. Increasing evidence shows that DFO can inhibit the activity of proline hydroxylase (PHD) by chelating iron, resulting in hypoxia-induced factor (HIF) signaling activation and angiogenesis promotion. However, clinical evidence indicates that a high concentration of DFO could be biotoxic due to its enrichment in related organs.

Pre-Operative chemotherapy response assessed by contrast-enhanced MRI can predict the prognosis of Enneking surgical margins in patients with osteosarcoma.

The method used to evaluate the response of osteosarcoma to preoperative chemotherapy before specimen resection is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that contribute to overall survival (OS) and to discuss their roles in making a decision regarding Enneking surgical margins. Patients (109) with pathologically confirmed Enneking stage IIB osteosarcoma were retrospectively analyzed.

Induces Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Promoting iNOS/NO and COX-2/PGE Activation via the ROS-Dependent NF-B Pathway.

Accumulating evidence suggests that () is a novel pathogenic factor promoting intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). However, the underlying mechanisms by which induces IVDD have been unclear. In this study, we quantified the severity of IVDD, as well as the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)/nitric oxide (NO) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2)/prostaglandin (PGE) in human intervertebral discs (IVDs) infected with .

Patellar height influences knee function in patients with aggressive bone tumors of the proximal tibia after endoprosthetic reconstruction.

Background: The proximal tibia is the second most common site of aggressive bone tumors. In proximal tibia resection, the patellar tendon is sectioned one to two centimeters from its insertion on the tibial tubercle, which makes it technically challenging to achieve an appropriate patellar height and firm fixation of the patellar tendon. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the patellar height influences knee function after proximal tibia endoprosthetic reconstruction (EPR).

induces intervertebral discs degeneration by increasing MMP-1 and inhibiting TIMP-1 expression via the NF-κB pathway.

Emerging evidence suggests that () may be a new pathogen implicated in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), although the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Since the most significant biochemical change of IVDD is inability of the extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis by nucleus pulposus cells, we first analyzed the expression of aggrecan and collagen II in nucleus pulposus tissues of IVDD patients with or without infection. Compared with the -negative controls, the expression levels of aggrecan and collagen II were significantly dampened in nucleus pulposus tissues with infection.

Acrolein Contributes to the Neuropathic Pain and Neuron Damage after Ischemic-Reperfusion Spinal Cord Injury.

Besides physical insult, spinal cord injury (SCI) can also result from transient ischemia, such as ischemia-reperfusion SCI (I/R SCI) as a postoperative complication. Increasing evidence has suggested that oxidative stress and related reactive aldehyde species are key contributors to cellular injury after SCI. Previous work in spinal cord contusion injury has demonstrated that acrolein, both a key product and an instigator of oxidative stress, contributes to post-traumatic hyperalgesia.

A Self-Assembled Coumarin-Anchored Dendrimer for Efficient Gene Delivery and Light-Responsive Drug Delivery.

The assembly of low molecular weight polymers into highly efficient and nontoxic nanostructures has broad applicability in gene delivery. In this study, we reported the assembly of coumarin-anchored low generation dendrimers in aqueous solution via hydrophobic interactions. The synthesized material showed significantly improved DNA binding and gene delivery, and minimal toxicity on the transfected cells.

Propionibacterium acnes induces intervertebral disc degeneration by promoting nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis via the TLR2/JNK/mitochondrial-mediated pathway.

Evidence suggests that intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) can be induced by Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), although the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In this study, we analyzed the pathological changes in degenerated human intervertebral discs (IVDs) infected with P.

The prevention of latanoprost on osteoclastgenesis in vitro and lipopolysaccharide-induced murine calvaria osteolysis in vivo.

Identification of agents that inhibit osteoclast formation and function is important for the treatment of osteolytic diseases which feature excessive osteoclast formation and bone resorption. Latanoprost (LTP), an analog of prostaglandin F2α, is a medication which works to lower pressure inside the eyes. Prostaglandin F2α was reported to regulate bone metabolism, however, the effect of LTP in osteoclastogenesis is still unknown.

Double-stranded RNA released from damaged articular chondrocytes promotes cartilage degeneration via Toll-like receptor 3-interleukin-33 pathway.

Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), including Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), are involved in arthritic responses; however, whether interleukin-33 (IL-33) is involved in TLR3-mediated cartilage degeneration is unknown. Here, we found that IL-33 was abundantly increased in chondrocytes of osteoarthritis, especially the chondrocytes of weight-bearing cartilage. Furthermore, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) released from damaged articular chondrocytes induced by mechanical stretching upregulated IL-33 expression to a greater degree than IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α.

Association between chronic inflammation and latent infection of Propionibacterium acnes in non-pyogenic degenerated intervertebral discs: a pilot study.

Purpose: Propionibacterium acnes may be considered a new pathogeny for disc degeneration, but its pathological role has remained unclear. This study was designed to determine whether the latent infection of P. acnes was associated with chronic inflammation in degenerated intervertebral discs via quantification of the levels of a series of cytokines and neutrophils.

Osteoblast Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Pathway Activation Restrains Osteoclastogenesis the Interleukin-33-MicroRNA-34a-Notch1 Pathway.

Functional cross-talk between osteoblasts and osteoclasts is a key process for bone homeostasis. Although osteoblast hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) pathway activation results in impaired osteoclastogenesis the direct regulation of osteoprotegerin (OPG), it is unclear whether there are other efficient mediators are involved in osteoblast HIF-1α pathway activation-restrained osteoclast formation. In addition to upregulated OPG, we observed that osteoblast HIF-1α activation led to increased interleukin-33 (IL-33) expression, which was found to inhibit osteoclastogenesis.

Protective effect of low-dose risedronate against osteocyte apoptosis and bone loss in ovariectomized rats.

Osteocyte apoptosis is the first reaction to estrogen depletion, thereby stimulating osteoclastic bone resorption resulting in bone loss. We investigated the effects of two different risedronate (RIS) doses (high and low) on osteocyte apoptosis, osteoclast activity and bone loss in ovariectomized rats. Forty rats with ovariectomy (OVX) and sham ovariectomy (SHAM) were divided into 4 groups: 1) SHAM rats treated with saline (SHAM); 2) OVX rats treated with saline (OVX); 3) OVX rats treated with low-dose RIS (OVX-LR, 0.

High-Frequency Ultrasound Imaging of Tidemark In Vitro in Advanced Knee Osteoarthritis.

High-frequency ultrasound imaging has been widely adopted for assessment of the degenerative changes of articular cartilage in osteoarthritis (OA). Yet, there are few reports on investigating its capability to evaluate subchondral bone. Here, we employed high-frequency ultrasound imaging (25 MHz) to examine in vitro the tidemark in cylindrical osteochondral disks (n = 33) harvested from advanced OA knees of humans.

Hydrogen Sulfide Inhibits Autophagic Neuronal Cell Death by Reducing Oxidative Stress in Spinal Cord Ischemia Reperfusion Injury.

Autophagy is upregulated in spinal cord ischemia reperfusion (SCIR) injury; however, its expression mechanism is largely unknown; moreover, whether autophagy plays a neuroprotective or neurodegenerative role in SCIR injury remains controversial. To explore these issues, we created an SCIR injury rat model via aortic arch occlusion. Compared with normal controls, autophagic cell death was upregulated in neurons after SCIR injury.