• Yan-Jun Che, Jiang-Bo Guo, Ting Liang, Xi Chen, Wen Zhang, Hui-Lin Yang, and Zong-Ping Luo.
• Orthopaedic Institute, Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of SooChow University, 708 Renmin Rd, SuZhou, Jiangsu 215007, PR China; Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Peace Hospital of Changzhi Medical College, 110 Yan'an Rd, Changzhi, Shanxi 046000, PR China.
• Spine J. 2019 Jul 1; 19 (7): 1242-1253.

Background ContextPfirrmann grading can be used to assess intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). There is growing evidence that IVDD is not simply a structural disorder but also involves changes to the substructural characteristics of the disc. Whether Pfirrmann grade can accurately represent these micro-nano environmental changes remains unclear.PurposeWe aimed to assess the micro-nano structural characteristics of the degenerative disc to provide more specific biomechanical information than the Pfirrmann score.Study DesignA micro- and nano-level structural analysis of degenerative discs of rat tails.MethodsIn this study, 12-week-old adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into five groups: control (no intervention to the intervertebral disc of the tail) and four intervention groups that all had caudal vertebrae immobilized using a custom-made external device to fix four caudal vertebrae (Co7-Co10) but with variable subsequent compression of Co8 and Co9 for 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks. Magnetic resonance imaging detection of rat coccygeal vertebrae was conducted at each time node of the experiment, and the T2 signal intensity and disc space were evaluated. Animals were euthanized and the caudal vertebrae were harvested for further analysis. Histopathology, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content, histologic score, end plate structure, and elastic modulus of the intervertebral discs were evaluated.ResultsIVDD was observed at an earlier Pfirrmann grade (Pfirrmann II) under the microscope. With an increase in Pfirrmann grade to III-V, the pore structure of the bony end plate changed significantly and the number of pores decreased gradually. Furthermore, the total GAG content of the nucleus pulposus decreased from an average of 640.33 μg GAG/ng DNA in Pfirrmann grade I to 271.33 μg GAG/ng DNA in Pfirrmann grade V (p < .0001). At the early stage of clinical degeneration of intervertebral discs (Pfirrmann grades II and III), there were significant changes in mechanical properties of the outer annulus fibrosus compared with the inner layer (p < .05). Further, the fibril diameters exhibited significant changes compared with the control group (p < .05).ConclusionsOur study found that the Pfirrmann grading system combined with intervertebral disc micro-nano structural changes more comprehensively reflected the extent of disc degeneration. These data may help improve our understanding of the pathogenesis and process of clinical disc degeneration.Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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