The Significance And Relevance Between The Expression Of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α(HIF-1α) And Glucose Transporter-1(GLUT-1) In Lumbar Disc Nucleus Pulposus Degeneration

According to the statistics of relevant information, about80%-90%of adults encounter lumbocrural pains. The leading cause of it is lumbar disc degeneration. Epidemiological data also shows that the occurrence of human intervertebral disc degeneration is showing a rising and younger tendency. So far, its etiology and pathogenesis has not been clear. Most scholars recognized the result of interaction of various factors, including cell apoptosis, genetic factors, nutritional function disorders, immune response, the abnormal stress, the role of cytokines. Clinical treatment is difficult to achieve the satisfactory effect. Hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is the only factor that can play transcription factor activity under anoxic condition. Previous studies have confirmed hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) plays an important role in disc degeneration. The disc cells need nutrients to remain activity and function, its main energy supply come from the decomposition of sugar. Glucose transporter Protein-1(GLUT-1) can promote glucose into cell, promote glycolysis and glucose metabolism, to meet the energy requirements of the cell growth and to increase the tolerance of the cells to hypoxia. No report about the correlation between HIF-1a and GLUT-1in human disc degeneration has been published. Based on the above, this experiment uses immunohistochemistry to observe the expression of HIF-1a and GLUT-1in tissues of human intervertebral disc degeneration.ObjectivePrevious studies have confirmed hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1a) plays an important role in disc degeneration. Recent studies also confirmed that glucose transporter-1(GLUT-1) expression in animal intervertebral disc annulus and human tumors. However, there is no relevant report to demonstrate expression of GLUT-1in human intervertebral disc. Whether or not HIF-1a and GLUT-1express in human intervertebral disc and how does they participate in disc degeneration have not been reported. Therefore to investigate the expression and correlation between them in human intervertebral disc tissue is of significance for the mechanism, and benefit for the prevention and treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration. So in this study, the aim is to determine whether there was any co-expression with HIF-la and GLUT-1in human intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus tissue.Materials and MethodsAll of the Specimen materials were gotten from Jingzhou Central Hospital during the September,2011to August2012. The specimens were divided into control and experimental groups:control group,9cases, and48cases in experimental group. The control group intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus tissue materials were gotten form acute spina fracture internal fixation operation, normal tissue; the experimental group intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus tissue materials were gotten form the lumbar disc operation, different degree of degeneration of tissue. Based on preoperative MRI images, control group and experimental group has been divided into4groups. The first group:normal disc, disc signal is uniformly high signal; The second group:mild disc degeneration group, discs signal is intensity decreased slightly; The third group:moderate disc degeneration, disc signal is intensity moderate decrease;The fourth group:severe disc degeneration, disc signal is significantly lower.The entire Specimen materials were embedded in paraffin wax, sectioned to4um thick slices, then, stored in a low temperature of4degrees Celsius refrigerator. Specimens HE staining was used to observe and compare structural characteristics between normal and different degree of degeneration of nucleus pulposus. Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the expression of HIF-la and GLUT-1in human normal nucleus pulposus and human degenerated nucleus pulposus tissue. Then, determine the total number of HIF-la and GLUT-1positive cells. The entire data was analyzed by SPSS software package, to explore correlation between expression of HIF-1and GLUT-1in human disc nucleus pulposus tissue.ResultHE staining results:normal nucleus pulposus matrix is integrity, cells distribute evenly throughout the matrix, thickness of collagen fibers are uniform and arranged in parallel; degeneration of nucleus pulposus tissue matrix is degeneration, cells scatter, thickness of collagen fibers are uneven arranged in messy.Immunohistochemical staining and the statistical results:HIF-la is located in the nucleus or cytoplasm of the nucleus pulposus cells, mainly located in the cytoplasm, so the positive result of cell displays brown yellow or yellow in the cytoplasm. GLUT-1is located in the cell membrane of the nucleus pulposus cells, so the positive result of cell displays brown yellow or yellow in the cell membrane. Data anglicized by SPSS show the expression of HIF-la and GLUT-1in experimental group is higher than control, P<0.05, it is statistically significant; the expression of HIF-la and GLUT-1in human intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus is correlative. Conclusions1. The expression of HIF-1α and GLUT-1in the human normal and degenerated intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus tissue has been found.2. With the progression of disc degeneration, the expression of HIF-la and GLUT-1in the human degenerated intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus tissue gradually increase.3. The expression of HIF-la and GLUT-1in the human degenerated intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus tissue is highly correlative.4. The HIF-la induces high GLUT-1’s expression and delay the intervertebral disc degeneration. It is possible that is the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration as a research method.