Objective To determine the contents of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) in the tissues of the lumbar disc herniation and to investigate their roles in the pathogenesis. Methods The tissues of the herniated lumbar disc were obtained from 30 patients undergoing surgery for persistent radiculopathy from June 2003 to December 2004 and at the same time these samples were divided into the following three experimentalgroups: the bulge group (n=11), the protrusion group (n=9), and the prolapsus group (n=10)，14 males, 16 females, aged 33.64 years. As the control group, 9 lumbar disc specimens were harvested from 9 patients(4 males, 5 females, aged 21-58 years) suffering from bursting fracture of the lumbar spine. The specimens were analyzed by the ELISA method for the contents of MMP-3 and IL-1. Results The contents of MMP-3(14.25±1.32, 19.89±2.97,20.69±2.18 ng/ml in the bulge group, protrusion group and prolapsus group, separately) and IL-1(8.52±0.22， 11.88±0.52，11.90±0.73 pg/ml in the bulge group, protrusion group and prolapsus group, separately) in the experimental groups were significantly higher than those in the control group. The contents of MMP-3 and IL-1 in the protrusion group were not significantly higher than those in the prolapsus group, but they were significantly higher than those in the bulge group(P＜0.01). The contents of MMP-3 had a significant relationship with the contents of IL-1 in the three experimental groups and the control group(P＜0.01). Conclusion The result demonstrates that the tissues of the lumbar disc herniation can produce both MMP-3 and IL-1, which may have an unknown but important relationship with each other.
ObjectiveTo explore the correlation between the degree of bone marrow edema (BME) and the content change of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) and the knee pain symptoms in patients with bone contusion around the knee joint. MethodsThirty patients (30 knees) of bone contusion around the knee joint were chosen as the trial group between October 2009 and April 2012. According to visual analogue scale (VAS), 30 patients were divided into mild group (10 cases), moderate group (10 cases), and severe group (10 cases); according to MRI morphological changes, the patients were divided into type I group (12 cases), type Ⅱ group (11 cases), and type Ⅲ group (7 cases). Ten patients (10 knees) with soft tissue injury of the knee were chosen as control group. No significant difference was found (P>0.05) in gender, age, causes, side, and admission time after injury between 2 groups. The serum contents of MMP-3 and TNF-α were detected and statistically analysed between different degrees of pain groups and between different degrees of BME groups. Correlation was analysed between BME and inflammatory factor changes and VAS score. ResultsThe MMP-3 and TNF-α contents in trial group[(29.580±6.870) μg/L and (23.750±7.096) ng/L] were significantly higher than those in control group[(8.219±1.355) μg/L and (6.485±1.168) ng/L](t=9.686, P=0.000; t=7.596, P=0.000). The MMP-3 and TNF-α contents in patients with different degrees of pain and BME were significantly higher than those in patients of control group (P<0.05), and significant difference was found between patients with different degrees of pain (P<0.05), but no significant difference between patients with different degrees of BME (P>0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that TNF-α content was significantly correlated with VAS score (P=0.000). ConclusionKnee pain symptoms are not related to the degree of BME in patients with bone contusion around the knee joint. Inflammatory factor TNF-α content is the main influence factor of knee joint pain symptoms.