Xie Wei, Huang Zemao, Huang Ziyang, Luo Deqing, Chen Zhangxin, Xie Li, Zhu Lingqi, Liu Hui, Lian Kejian, Alberton Paolo, Docheva Denitsa, Lin Dasheng
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The 909th Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Zhangzhou, China.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fuzhou Second General Hospital, Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China.
Animal Model Exp Med. 2025 Jan 14. doi: 10.1002/ame2.12501.
Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is one of the common degenerative diseases. Due to ethical constraints, it is difficult to obtain sufficient research on humans, so the use of an animal model of IDD is very important to clarify the pathogenesis and treatment mechanism of the disease.
In this study, thirty 2-month-old mice were selected for operation to establish a coccygeal IDD model. The distal tail portion of the tail (beyond the 17th coccygeal vertebra) and a small piece of skin above the 8th coccygeal vertebra were excised, and the two incisions were brought together after flexion, and secured with sutures. The heights and signal intensities of the intervertebral discs (IVDs) were assessed using microcomputed tomography (μCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 0, 6, 12 weeks postoperatively. The overall tissue morphology, cell distribution and density, and extracellular matrix of the IVDs were also assessed using Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE), Safranin O-Fast Green and immunohistochemical staining.
All mice in the experimental group survived after the operation, and there were no complications such as wound infection, tail necrosis and suture shedding. The experimental results demonstrated that the suturing method can successfully initiate IDD. Different severity levels of IDD can be induced by controlling the bending angle of the IVDs within the tail loop; however, for consistency, histologic and imaging results should be obtained at the same bending angle and looping period.
This IDD model is an effective method for studying the etiology and treatment of degenerative IVD disease.
椎间盘退变（IDD）是常见的退行性疾病之一。由于伦理限制，难以获得足够的人体研究，因此使用IDD动物模型对于阐明该疾病的发病机制和治疗机制非常重要。
在本研究中，选取30只2月龄小鼠进行手术以建立尾椎IDD模型。切除尾椎远端部分（第17尾椎以下）及第8尾椎上方一小片皮肤，屈曲后将两个切口拉拢，用缝线固定。在术后0、6、12周使用微型计算机断层扫描（μCT）和磁共振成像（MRI）评估椎间盘（IVD）的高度和信号强度。还使用苏木精和伊红（HE）、番红O-固绿和免疫组织化学染色评估IVD的整体组织形态、细胞分布和密度以及细胞外基质。
实验组所有小鼠术后均存活，未出现伤口感染、尾巴坏死和缝线脱落等并发症。实验结果表明，缝合方法可成功引发IDD。通过控制尾环内IVD的弯曲角度可诱导不同严重程度的IDD；然而，为保持一致性，应在相同的弯曲角度和环扎时期获得组织学和影像学结果。
该IDD模型是研究退行性IVD疾病病因和治疗的有效方法。
