Angiogenesis and Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Expression of Intervertebral Disc in the Patients with Back Pain

Yoo, Jae Doo; Wang, Jin Man; Kim, Dong Jun; Yeom, Bom Woo

Abstract

In the normal disc tissue, the blood vessles have not been observed. It has been suggested that the vascular ingrowth promotes the granulation tissue formation in the herniated disc tissue. The origin of capillaries observed in the herniated disc tissue has remained unclear, but basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) may be the important inducer of capillary ingrowth. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the neovascularization in the intervertebral disc without rupture of annulus fibrosus, not being exposed to epidural fat. The disc tissues including nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus were obtained at anterior interbody fusion from 30 patients with back pain. All specimens were immediately frozen and stored at -70degrees C. Hematoxylin-eosin stain, polyclonal von Willebrand factor(FVIII) antibody, smooth muscle actin antibody and anti-human endothelial cell antibody(CD31) were used to confirm the blood vessel. Polyclonal bFGF antibody expression was evaluated in the disc tiussues. All of the blood vesseles were observed in the inner portion of annulus fibrosus and the transitional zone. The blood vesseles were observed in 96.7% with hematoxylin-eosin stain, 83.3% with smooth muscle actin antiboy stain, 90% with FVIII, 86.7% with CD31 and the immunopositive blood vesseles were observed in 83.3% with bFGF immunostain. The neovascularization of disc was frequently found in the annulus fibrosus and the transitional zone. The neovasuarlization of intervertebral disc was present in the intervertebral disc without rupture of annulus fibrosus.