The study of expression of the basic fibroblast growth factor in normal and degenerated human intervertebral disc

Objective To investigate the expression of the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in normal and degenerated human intervertebral discs in order to determine whether bFGF is related to degeneration of the intervertebral disc. Methods The specimens of the intervertebral discs from 11 male and 19 female patients undergone lumbar disc herniation surgery (observation group) and 6 patients with scoliosis following anterior release (control group) were harvested. The tissues were histologically observed to confirm their degenerated or normal status and then conducted for the expression of bFGF and its mRNA with immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Results In the observation group, all the samples were found to be degenerated disc tissue, and the positive rate of the expression of bFGF was 90% (27/30) with immunohistochemistry and 20% (6/30) with in situ hybridization. In the control group, all the samples were shown to be normal disc tissues, and had negative expression of bFGF with immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The positive rate of the expression of bFGF showed significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion The expression of bFGF showed significant difference between the degenerated and normal intervertebral discs, which indicated that the bFGF might promote proliferation of chondrocyte and synthesis of extracellular matrix in the degenerated discs as a proliferation stimulating factor.