Inflammatory, Structural, and Pain Biochemical Biomarkers May Reflect Radiographic Disc Space Narrowing: The Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to determine the relationship between biomarkers of inflammation, structure, and pain with radiographic disc space narrowing (DSN) in community-based participants. A total of 74 participants (37 cases and 37 controls) enrolled in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project during 2006-2010 were selected. The cases had at least mild radiographic DSN and low back pain (LBP). The controls had neither radiographic evidence of DSN nor LBP. The measured analytes from human serum included N-cadherin, Keratin-19, Lumican, CXCL6, RANTES, IL-17, IL-6, BDNF, OPG, and NPY. A standard dolorimeter measured pressure-pain threshold. The coefficients of variation were used to evaluate inter-and intra-assay reliability. Participants with similar biomarker profiles were grouped together using cluster analysis. The binomial regression models were used to estimate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in propensity score-matched models. Significant associations were found between radiographic DSN and OPG (RR = 3.90; 95% CI: 1.83, 8.31), IL-6 (RR = 2.54; 95% CI: 1.92, 3.36), and NPY (RR = 2.06 95% CI: 1.62, 2.63). Relative to a cluster with low levels of biomarkers, a cluster representing elevated levels of OPG, RANTES, Lumican, Keratin-19, and NPY (RR = 3.04; 95% CI: 1.22, 7.54) and a cluster representing elevated levels of NPY (RR = 2.91; 95% CI: 1.15, 7.39) were significantly associated with radiographic DSN. Clinical Significance: These findings suggest that individual and combinations of biochemical biomarkers may reflect radiographic DSN. This is just one step toward understanding the relationships between biochemical biomarkers and DSN that may lead to improved intervention delivery.

Osteoarthritis in year 2021: biochemical markers

“…With cluster representing lower levels of biomarkers as the referent, a significant association was found among cases with disc space narrowing compared to controls without disc narrowing for the cluster with higher levels of OPG, Regulated on Activation, Normal T Cell Expressed and Secreted (RANTES), keratin-19 and lumican and neuropeptide-Y. A significant association was also found with cases with disc space narrowing compared to controls without disc space narrowing in the cluster represented with a higher levels of neuropeptide Y (40).…”

Tramadol enhances PGF2α-stimulated osteoprotegerin synthesis in osteoblasts

“…In fact, low serum levels of OPG are commonly observed in patients with multiple myeloma suffering from severe bone pain (Vellucci et al, 2018). In addition, a significant association was recently reported between the serum levels of OPG and the severity of radiographic space narrowing in subjects with low back pain (Goode et al, 2020). Thus, the upregulation of OPG synthesis might be deeply associated with the amelioration of low back pain.…”

Percutaneous lumbar annular puncture: A rat model to study intervertebral disc degeneration and pain‐related behavior

“…In addition to biochemical changes within IVDs, prior studies have identified relationships between serum biomarkers (including NPY and RANTES) and musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain 41,57–60 . NPY and RANTES are both expressed by the IVD and are associated with symptomatic LBP in humans 41,61–64 .…”

“…In addition to biochemical changes within IVDs, prior studies have identified relationships between serum biomarkers (including NPY and RANTES) and musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain. 41 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 NPY and RANTES are both expressed by the IVD and are associated with symptomatic LBP in humans. 41 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 Our results showed consistently higher serum concentrations of NPY in the experimental group compared to the control or sham groups beginning 6 weeks after the annular puncture, consistent with prior research associating higher levels of serum NPY with symptomatic back pain.…”