We have located links that may give you full text access.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
RESEARCH SUPPORT, NON-U.S. GOV'T
Efficacy of anti-nerve growth factor therapy for discogenic neck pain in rats.
Spine 2014 June 2
STUDY DESIGN: Immunohistological analysis of the cervical dorsal root ganglia (DRG).
OBJECTIVE: To investigate immunohistologically in rats whether intradiscal administration of anti-nerve growth factor (NGF) antibody in injured cervical intervertebral discs (IVDs) suppresses pain-related peptide expression in DRG neurons.
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Neck pain can involve the entire neck and become chronic and intractable. Cervical disc degeneration is a primary cause of neck pain, and pain-related mediators, such as NGF, have been correlated with discogenic pain.
METHODS: We examined Sprague-Dawley rats that received 10 punctures in the C5-C6 IVD, and were treated with saline (puncture group) or an anti-NGF antibody (anti-NGF group). The retrograde neurotracer Fluoro-Gold (FG) was then injected into the C5-C6 IVD. In addition, we examined a sham group that did not receive punctures (disc nonpuncture). The C2-C7 DRG were harvested 1 week after surgery and immunostained for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a marker for peptide-containing neurons. We determined for each group the percentages of FG-labeled DRG neurons that were CGRP-immunoreactive (CGRP-ir).
RESULTS: FG-labeled neurons innervating the C5-C6 IVD were found in all C2-C7 DRG examined. The percentage of FG-labeled CGRP-ir DRG neurons in the puncture group was significantly higher than that observed in the sham (P < 0.001) and anti-NGF groups (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference between the sham and anti-NGF groups (P > 0.05). Therefore, intradiscal administration of anti-NGF antibody suppressed CGRP expression the cervical DRG.
CONCLUSION: Neurons located in the C2-C7 DRG innervated the C5-C6 IVD. These findings indicate that neck pain may be derived from degenerated IVDs. Furthermore, intradiscal administration of anti-NGF antibody suppressed CGRP expression in the cervical DRG innervating the injured IVD. Therefore, inhibiting NGF upregulation in the cervical IVD may be an efficient treatment for discogenic neck pain.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate immunohistologically in rats whether intradiscal administration of anti-nerve growth factor (NGF) antibody in injured cervical intervertebral discs (IVDs) suppresses pain-related peptide expression in DRG neurons.
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Neck pain can involve the entire neck and become chronic and intractable. Cervical disc degeneration is a primary cause of neck pain, and pain-related mediators, such as NGF, have been correlated with discogenic pain.
METHODS: We examined Sprague-Dawley rats that received 10 punctures in the C5-C6 IVD, and were treated with saline (puncture group) or an anti-NGF antibody (anti-NGF group). The retrograde neurotracer Fluoro-Gold (FG) was then injected into the C5-C6 IVD. In addition, we examined a sham group that did not receive punctures (disc nonpuncture). The C2-C7 DRG were harvested 1 week after surgery and immunostained for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a marker for peptide-containing neurons. We determined for each group the percentages of FG-labeled DRG neurons that were CGRP-immunoreactive (CGRP-ir).
RESULTS: FG-labeled neurons innervating the C5-C6 IVD were found in all C2-C7 DRG examined. The percentage of FG-labeled CGRP-ir DRG neurons in the puncture group was significantly higher than that observed in the sham (P < 0.001) and anti-NGF groups (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference between the sham and anti-NGF groups (P > 0.05). Therefore, intradiscal administration of anti-NGF antibody suppressed CGRP expression the cervical DRG.
CONCLUSION: Neurons located in the C2-C7 DRG innervated the C5-C6 IVD. These findings indicate that neck pain may be derived from degenerated IVDs. Furthermore, intradiscal administration of anti-NGF antibody suppressed CGRP expression in the cervical DRG innervating the injured IVD. Therefore, inhibiting NGF upregulation in the cervical IVD may be an efficient treatment for discogenic neck pain.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.
Full text links
Related Resources
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app
All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.
By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
Your Privacy Choices 
You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app