Potential roles of cytokines and chemokines in XXXX intervertebral disc degeneration: @entity1192 is a master regulator of catabolic processes.

@entity1 @entity404 @entity16951 @entity7721 @entity17090 @entity2842 @entity7415 @entity1192 @entity687 @entity7416 @entity528 @entity10557
OBJECTIVE: These studies investigated cytokine and chemokine receptor profiles in nucleus pulposus (NP) cells, and the effects of receptor stimulation on mRNA levels of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, degrading enzymes and cytokine and chemokine expression. METHOD: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to localise expression of @entity404 , @entity16951 , @entity7415 and @entity7416 in @entity1 NP tissue samples. Effects of cytokine and chemokine stimulation was performed to investigate effects related to ECM remodelling and modulation of cytokine and chemokine mRNA expression. RESULTS: IHC identified @entity404 , @entity16951 , @entity7415 and @entity7416 expression by NP cells. Differential expression profiles were observed for @entity404 and @entity7416 in tissue samples from degenerate and infiltrated IVDs. In  vitro stimulations of primary @entity1 NP cultures with @entity17090 , @entity2842 , @entity10557 , @entity7721 or @entity687 did not identify any modulatory effects on parameters associated with ECM remodelling or expression of other cytokines and chemokines. Conversely, @entity1192 was seen to modulate ECM remodelling and expression of all other cytokines and chemokines investigated. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates for the first time that NP cells express a number of cytokine and chemokine receptors and thus could respond in an autocrine or paracrine manner to cytokines and chemokines produced by NP cells, particularly during @entity528 . However, this study failed to demonstrate regulatory effects on ECM genes and degradative enzymes or other cytokines and chemokines for any target investigated, with the exception of @entity1192 . This suggests that @entity1192 is a master regulator within the IVD and may exert regulatory potential over a plethora of other cytokines and chemokines.
