Lentivirus-mediated TGF-β3, CTGF and TIMP1 gene transduction as a gene therapy for intervertebral disc degeneration in an in vivo rabbit model

, with the intention of investigating their potential use in gene therapy. A model of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration was created by needle puncture into the annulus fibrosus of 15 New Zealand white rabbits. Empty lentivirus or recombinant lentiviral plasmid lenti-TGFβ3-P2A-CTGF-T2A-TIMP1 was injected into degenerative lumbar intervertebral discs (representing the control and experimental groups, respectively), whilst untreated degenerative lumbar intervertebral discs served as the puncture group. After 16 and 20 weeks, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was conducted and the changes in intensity on micrographs of degenerative intervertebral discs were measured. The mRNA levels of aggrecan and type II collagen in nucleus pulposus tissue were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and protein expression levels of type II collagen and aggrecan were determined by western blot analysis. MRI results indicated that intervertebral disc degeneration was ameliorated in the experimental group when compared with the control and the puncture group. Furthermore, the expression levels of type II collagen and aggrecan in the puncture and control groups were significantly lower than in the experimental group (P<0.05). In conclusion, lenti-TGFβ3-P2A-CTGF-T2A-TIMP1 co-transduction can promote synthesis of aggrecan and type II collagen in degenerative intervertebral discs, thereby delaying intervertebral disc degeneration. These results indicate the potential of gene therapy in treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.