Exploration about changes of IL-10, NF-κB and MMP-3 in a rat model of cervical spondylosis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship and mechanism between IL-10, NF-κB and MMP-3 in cervical degenerative disease induced by unbalanced dynamic and static forces in rats.

METHODS: Sixty Sprague Dawley rats were randomized into test (n=45) and control (n=15) groups, which were randomly subdivided into three groups corresponding to one-month, three-month and six-month post-operation. Test group included 10, 15, 20 rats at corresponding postoperative stage and control group had five rats at each time point. By excising cervicodorsal muscles and ligaments of rats to establish unbalanced dynamic and static rat model in test group. The expression of IL-10, NF-κB and MMP-3 in the intervertebral disc tissue samples of both test and control group rats were detected by immunohistochemistry at one-month, three-month and six-month post-operation. The results were analyzed and compared among groups.

RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the positive expression of IL-10 in test group was significantly higher at three-month (P<0.05). In the same model group, IL-10 was highest at one-month. Compared with the control group, NF-kB in test group was higher at one-month, three-month and six-month. In the same model group, NF-kB was the highest at one-month, followed by the time at three-month and six-month. And, compared with the control group, MMP-3 was significantly higher in test group at one-month (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Cervical degeneration may accompanied with the changes of IL-10, NF-κB and MMP-3.