• William E B Johnson, Angela M Patterson, Stephen M Eisenstein, and Sally Roberts.
• Centre for Spinal Studies, Institute for Science & Technology in Medicine of Keele University, Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, United Kingdom. Eustace.Johnson@rjah.nhs.uk
• Spine. 2007 May 20; 32 (12): 1295-302.

Study DesignAn immunohistological study of surgical specimens of human intervertebral disc.ObjectiveTo examine the presence of pleiotrophin in diseased or damaged intervertebral disc tissue and the association between its presence and the extent of tissue vascularization and innervation.Summary Of Background DataIncreased levels of pleiotrophin, a growth and differentiation factor that is active in various pathophysiologic processes, including angiogenesis, has been associated with osteoarthritic changes of human articular cartilage. The association between pleiotrophin expression and pathologic conditions of the human intervertebral disc is unknown.MethodsSpecimens of human lumbar intervertebral discs, obtained following surgical discectomy, were divided into 3 groups: non-degenerated discs (n = 7), degenerated discs (n = 6), and prolapsed discs (n = 11). Serial tissue sections of each specimen were immunostained to determine the presence of pleiotrophin, blood vessels (CD34-positive endothelial cells), and nerves (neurofilament 200 kDa [NF200]-positive nerve fibers).ResultsPleiotrophin immunoreactivity was seen in disc cells, endothelial cells, and in the extracellular matrix in most specimens of intervertebral disc but was most prevalent in vascularized tissue in prolapsed discs. There was a significant correlation between the presence of pleiotrophin-positive disc cells and that of CD34-positive blood vessels. NF200-positive nerves were seen in vascularized areas of more degenerated discs, but nerves did not appear to codistribute with blood vessels or pleiotrophin positivity in prolapsed discs.ConclusionsPleiotrophin is present in pathologic human intervertebral discs, and its prevalence and distribution suggest that it may play a role in neovascularization of diseased or damaged disc tissue.

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