Spine Research Institute, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University.
J Vis Exp. 2021 Apr 23(170). doi: 10.3791/61722.
Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a common pathological change leading to low back pain. Appropriate animal models are desired for understanding the pathological processes and evaluating new drugs. Here, we introduced a surgically induced lumbar spine instability (LSI) mouse model that develops IDD starting from 1 week post operation. In detail, the mouse under anesthesia was operated by low back skin incision, L3-L5 spinous processes exposure, detachment of paraspinous muscles, resection of processes and ligaments, and skin closure. L4-L5 IVDs were chosen for the observation. The LSI model develops lumbar IDD by porosity and hypertrophy in endplates at an early stage, decrease in intervertebral disc volume, shrinkage in nucleus pulposus at an intermediate stage, and bone loss in lumbar vertebrae (L5) at a later stage. The LSI mouse model has the advantages of strong operability, no requirement of special equipment, reproducibility, inexpensive, and relatively short period of IDD development. However, LSI operation is still a trauma that causes inflammation within the first week post operation. Thus, this animal model is suitable for study of lumbar IDD.
椎间盘退变（IDD）是导致腰痛的常见病理变化。为了了解病理过程和评估新药，需要合适的动物模型。在这里，我们引入了一种手术诱导的腰椎不稳（LSI）小鼠模型，该模型从术后 1 周开始出现 IDD。具体来说，在麻醉下对小鼠进行手术，包括腰部皮肤切口、L3-L5 棘突暴露、脊柱旁肌肉分离、小关节切除和韧带切除以及皮肤缝合。选择 L4-L5 椎间盘进行观察。LSI 模型通过早期终板的多孔性和肥大、椎间盘体积减少、中期髓核收缩以及后期腰椎（L5）骨丢失来发展腰椎 IDD。LSI 小鼠模型具有操作简单、无需特殊设备、可重复性好、价格低廉、IDD 发展时间相对较短等优点。然而，LSI 手术仍然是一种会在术后第一周引起炎症的创伤。因此，该动物模型适合研究腰椎 IDD。
