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Proteoglycans of human scoliotic intervertebral disc
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Proteoglycans of human scoliotic intervertebral disc

A Pedrini-Mille, V A Pedrini, C Tudisco, I V Ponseti, S L Weinstein and J A Maynard
Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume, Vol.65(6), pp.815-823
07/1983
DOI: 10.2106/00004623-198365060-00014
PMID: 6863364

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Abstract

To determine the effects of scoliosis, irrespective of its etiology, on the intervertebral disc, we isolated the proteoglycans from the nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, and cartilaginous end-plates of patients with idiopathic scoliosis, paralytic scoliosis, and cerebral palsy. The chemical composition of the proteoglycans, the proportions of aggregates and monomers, the sizes of the monomers, and the limiting viscosity numbers of the purified preparations were determined. The results showed that: (1) The scoliotic nucleus pulposus contained normal amounts of proteoglycan aggregates and monomers. The molecules that were isolated from the nucleus pulposus of a six-year-old patient had a normal composition, but those from two adolescents with scoliosis contained more protein and less carbohydrate than the proteoglycans of normal tissue. (2) The disc level or location of the tissue in the scoliotic curve (concave or convex) did not affect either the amount or the molecular-weight distribution of proteoglycan aggregates from the fibrocartilaginous portion of the annulus fibrosus. (3) The convex portion of the end-plates appeared histologically normal, but in all specimens studied the tissue contained only traces or greatly reduced amounts of proteoglycan aggregates. The monomers were smaller than normal. Premature closure of the growth plate on the concave side of the curve was observed histologically in the only specimen that was available for study (from an eleven-year-old child with a 70-degree lumbar curve). The proteoglycans extracted from the remaining hyaline cartilage, however, behaved as do their counterparts from normal tissue. Clinical Relevance: Proteoglycans have important roles in determining the shock-absorbing ability of the nucleus pulposus, the elastic behavior of the annulus fibrosus, and the resilience to compression of the cartilaginous end-plates. In addition proteoglycans play a role in the process of endochondral ossification occurring in the growth-plate portion of the end-plate. The results of this study indicate that the scoliotic curve, irrespective of its etiology, produces secondary changes in the proteoglycans of the intervertebral disc that could alter the properties of the tissues and might be important in the progression of the disease.
 Intervertebral Disc - analysis Humans Adolescent Female Male Proteoglycans - analysis Scoliosis - metabolism Child

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