Premium
Ultrastructural study of the short‐term effects of chymopapain on the intervertebral disc
Author(s) -
Suguro Toru,
Oegema Theodore R.,
Bradford David S.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of orthopaedic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.041
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1554-527X
pISSN - 0736-0266
DOI - 10.1002/jor.1100040304
Subject(s) - chymopapain , intervertebral disc , annulus (botany) , regeneration (biology) , intervertebral disk , degenerative disc disease , chemistry , cartilage , proteases , anatomy , extracellular matrix , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , lumbar , biology , biochemistry , botany , enzyme
Abstract The initial effects of chymopapain, a chemonucleolytic agent, on the intervertebral disc of dogs were studied by light and electron microscopic techniques. Fragments of nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosis were incubated with chymopapain up to 24 h in vitro. Proteoglycans and matrix proteins were rapidly removed, while collagen fibers remained intact up to 24 h. For several hours, most cells remained normal in appearance with only slight swelling and an increased number of vacuoles. After exposure to the protease for 24 h cells in both the annulus and nucleus showed extensive membrane damage and some were necrotic, but many survived relatively intact. These results suggest that, similar to the results of the digestion of cartilage with other proteases, the cells of the disc can survive brief chymopapain exposure during chemonucleolysis procedures and could serve as a source for regenerating tissue. The nature of the regeneration may depend on the extracellular scaffold that remains and the nutrition available to tissue as well as the age and biomechanical state of the disc. As for clinical significance, chemonucleolysis is an important nonsurgical alternative for treating prolapsed disc. The cells of nucleus and annulus can survive short‐term exposure to treatment, and thus be responsible for partial regeneration of the tissue. This regeneration may be important in preventing long‐term degenerative disease in the facet joints caused by increased pressure due to decreased disc height.