Heparanase isoform expression and extracellular matrix remodeling in intervertebral disc degenerative disease

• Published in: Clinics (São Paulo, Brazil) Vol. 66; no. 5; pp. 903 - 909
• Main Authors: Rodrigues, Luciano Miller Reis, Theodoro, Thérèse Rachell, Matos, Leandro Luongo, Mader, Ana Maria, Milani, Carlo, da Silva Pinhal, Maria Aparecida
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier España, S.L.U 01-01-2011; Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina / USP; Elsevier España
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Basic Research; Case-Control Studies; Extracellular matrix; Extracellular Matrix - metabolism; Glucuronidase - metabolism; Heparanase; Herniated disc; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Intervertebral degeneration; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration - enzymology; Intervertebral Disc Displacement - enzymology; Isoenzymes - metabolism; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Proteoglycan; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Young Adult; Proteoglycan; Heparanase; Intervertebral degeneration; Extracellular matrix; Herniated disc
• ISSN: 1807-5932; 1980-5322; 1980-5322
• DOI: 10.1590/S1807-59322011000500030

To determine the molecules involved in extracellular matrix remodeling and to identify and quantify heparanase isoforms present in herniated and degenerative discs.
Heparanase is an endo-beta-glucuronidase that specifically acts upon the heparan sulfate chains of proteoglycans. However, heparanase expression in degenerative intervertebral discs has not yet been evaluated. Notably, previous studies demonstrated a correlation between changes in the heparan sulfate proteoglycan pattern and the degenerative process associated with intervertebral discs.
Twenty-nine samples of intervertebral degenerative discs, 23 samples of herniated discs and 12 samples of non-degenerative discs were analyzed. The expression of both heparanase isoforms (heparanase-1 and heparanase-2) was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and real-time RT-PCR analysis.
Heparanase-1 and heparanase-2 expression levels were significantly higher in the herniated and degenerative discs in comparison to the control tissues, suggesting a possible role of these proteins in the intervertebral degenerative process.
The overexpression of heparanase isoforms in the degenerative intervertebral discs and the herniated discs suggests a potential role of both proteins in the mediation of inflammatory processes and in extracellular matrix remodeling. The heparanase-2 isoform may be involved in normal metabolic processes, as evidenced by its higher expression in the control intervertebral discs relative to the expression of heparanase-1.