Objective:To observe the relationship between the degeneration of the lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD) in OPG gene knock-out mice and WT mice.Menthods:The L4/5 lumbar intervertebral discs (L4/5 IVD) from 4-, 8-, 12-week-old mice were harvested. Routine morphologic observations of the intervertebral discs and cartilage endplate were performed using safranin-O/fast Green staining. The height of the intervertebral discs and the thickness of cartilage endplate were measured;Protein expressions of aggrecan in the discs were detected with immunohistochemical analysis.Results:Safranin-O/fast green staining exhibited degeneration of the intervertebral discs and cartilage endplates in OPG-/-mice characterized with thinning, disordered arrangement of cartilage endplates and appearance of bone marrow cavity both in the endplate cartilage and annulus fibrosis. Immunohistochemical assay revealed significantly less protein expressions of aggrecan in the discs from OPG-/-mice than from wild type mice. Compared with the control group OPG-/- mice cartilage endplate and intervertebral disc height have no significant change at 4W, Increase with age, lower than control group at 8W,height decreased significantly at 12W.(P<0.01).Conclusion:OPG gene plays a very important role in maintaining the structure and function of normal intervertebral disc, the deletion of OPG gene causes intervertebral disc degeration and vertebra osteoporosis.
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