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The inhibitory effect of salmon calcitonin on intervertebral disc degeneration in an ovariectomized rat model

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Abstract

Purpose

Intervertebral disc degeneration related to postmenopausal osteoporosis is an important issue in spinal disorder research. This study aimed to investigate the effects of salmon calcitonin (sCT), as an antiresorptive medication, on lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration using a rat ovariectomy (OVX) model.

Methods

Thirty 3-month-old female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: the sham-operated (Sham) group and two ovariectomized groups treated with vehicle (OVX+V) or sCT (OVX+CT; 16 IU/kg, sc) on alternate days for 6 months. Treatment began after OVX and continued for 6 months. At the end of the experiment, bone mineral density (BMD), micro-CT analysis, biomechanical testing, histology, and immunohistochemistry were performed for all groups.

Results

Salmon calcitonin significantly maintained vertebrae BMD, percent bone volume, and biomechanical strength, when compared with the OVX+V group. The changes of mucoid degeneration in the nucleus pulposus and calcification in the middle cartilage endplate were more moderate in the OVX+CT group compared with the OVX+V group, and immunohistochemistry revealed a significant increase in aggrecan and type II collagen expressions, but marked reductions in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP-3, and MMP-13 expressions in the OVX+CT group.

Conclusions

Salmon calcitonin treatment was effective in delaying the process of the disc degeneration in OVX rats. The underlying mechanisms may be related to preservation of structural integrity and function of vertebrae, and affecting extracellular matrix metabolism by modulating the expressions of MMPs, aggrecan and type II collagen to protect the disc from degeneration.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Hong Xu for technical assistance with animal procedures and histological analysis, Yan-Li Zhu for help with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning. This work was partly supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31171136), and Natural Science Foundation of Hebei province (No. H2013209257).

Conflict of interest

The authors have no actual or potential conflict of interests including any financial, personal, or other relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence, or be perceived to influence, this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China

    Yang Luo & Ying-Ze Zhang

  2. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Hebei United University, Tangshan, China

    Liu Zhang & Hui-Ping Song

  3. Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan, China

    Wen-Ya Wang

  4. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tangshan, Tangshan, China

    Qi-Feng Hu

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  1. Yang Luo
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Correspondence to Liu Zhang.

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Luo, Y., Zhang, L., Wang, WY. et al. The inhibitory effect of salmon calcitonin on intervertebral disc degeneration in an ovariectomized rat model. Eur Spine J 24, 1691–1701 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-014-3611-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-014-3611-5

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