Effects of psoralen on chondrocyte degeneration in lumbar intervertebral disc of rats.

Discuss the internal mechanism of delaying degeneration of lumber intervertebral disc. The cartilage of lumbar intervertebral disc of SD rats was selected in vitro, then cultured by tissue explant method, and identified by HE staining, toluidine blue staining and immunofluorescence. The optimal concentration of psoralen was screened by cell proliferation assay and RT-PCR method. The cells in third generation with good growth situation is selected and placed in 6-well plate at concentration of 1×10(5)/well and its expression was tested. Compared to concentration of 0, the mRNA expression of Col2al (Collagen Ⅱ) secreted by was up regulated chondrocyte of lumbar intervertebral disc at the concentration of 12.5 and 25μM (P<0.0 or P<0.01). The aggrecan mRNA of psoralen group was higher than blank control group (P<0.01); compared with IL-1β induced group, the mRNA expression of Col2al was significantly increased but the mRNA expression of ADAMTS-5 was significantly decreased in psoralen group (P<0.01). These findings suggest that, psoralen can remit the degeneration of lumbar intervertebral disc induced by IL-1β to some extent, and affect the related factors of IL-1β signaling pathway.