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Immunomorphological Analysis of RAGE Receptor Expression and NF‐κB Activation in Tissue Samples from Normal and Degenerated Intervertebral Discs of Various Ages
Author(s) -
NERLICH ANDREAS G.,
BACHMEIER BEATRICE E.,
SCHLEICHER ERWIN,
ROHRBACH HELMUT,
PAESOLD GUENTHER,
BOOS NORBERT
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1397.090
Subject(s) - rage (emotion) , oxidative stress , nucleus , glycation , intervertebral disc , immunohistochemistry , pathology , receptor , chemistry , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , anatomy , biology , neuroscience
: We immunohistochemically investigated the pattern of RAGE expression and NFκB translocation into the nucleus in 43 complete cross‐sections of human lumbar intervertebral discs (neonatal—85 years) and compared this with the carboxymethyl‐lysine (CML) modification of proteins as a marker for oxidative stress. No significant expression of RAGE, no obvious activation of NF‐κB, and no deposition of CML‐modified proteins were seen in fetal, juvenile, and young adolescent discs (until age of 13 years). In adults, 25–50% of nucleus pulposus cells were labeled for RAGE and activated NF‐κB, which correlated well with the occurrence and extent of CML staining in the pericellular matrix. In the annulus fibrosus significantly lower values were seen than in the nucleus pulposus. In consequence, we provide evidence for activation of the NF‐κB system in intervertebral discs in vivo , which correlates with accumulated oxidative stress and increases in age and disc degeneration. Oxidative stress (as monitored by CML modifications) may lead to RAGE activation and NF‐κB translocation.