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Updated: Aug 21, 2026
A Neurosphere Assay to Evaluate Endogenous Neural Stem Cell Activation in a Mouse Model of Minimal Spinal Cord Injury
Published on: September 13, 2018
Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in experimental spinal nerve root injury
Michael Cornefjord1, Fred Nyberg, Lars Rosengren
1Department of Orthopaedics, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. michael.cornefjord@surgsci.uu.se
Study Design:
Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers were evaluated in a setup using established pig models to mimic clinical disc herniation.
Objectives:
To investigate biomarkers for nerve tissue injury, inflammation, and pain in cerebrospinal fluid after mechanical compression and/or nucleus pulposus application to spinal nerve roots.
Summary Of Background Data:
The association between mechanical compression, biochemical effects of nucleus pulposus, and nerve root injury in degenerative disc disorders is incompletely investigated.
Methods:
The unilateral S1 nerve root was exposed in 20 pigs. The animals were divided into four groups (n = 5 each): 1) slow-onset mechanical compression with an ameroid constrictor; 2) autologous nucleus pulposus application; 3) mechanical compression plus nucleus pulposus; and 4) sham operation. After 1 week, 6 mL of cerebrospinal fluid was collected, and four structural nerve proteins, neurofilaments, S-100, glial fibrillary acidic protein, neuron-specific enolase, the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-8, the neurotransmitter nociceptin, and substance P endopeptidase activity were analyzed using immunoassays.
Results:
The concentration of neurofilament was increased in the mechanical compression group (17.0 microg/L +/- 5.0) and in the mechanical compression plus nucleus pulposus group (19.8 +/- 12.1 microg/L) compared with the sham group (0.9 +/- 0.9 microg/L) and the nucleus pulposus group (0.4 +/- 0.1 microg/L) (P < 0.01 for both). The concentration of nociceptin was increased significantly in the mechanical compression group (24.0 +/- 8.6 fm/mL) and in the mechanical compression plus nucleus pulposus group (31.2 +/- 6.6 fm/mL) compared with the sham group (7.0 +/- 1.3 fm/mL) (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). A correlation was found between concentrations of neurofilament and nociceptin (r = 0.50, P < 0.05). There were no intergroup differences regarding glial fibrillary acidic protein, neuron-specific enolase, S-100, interleukin-8, or substance P endopeptidase activity.
Conclusions:
The present study demonstrates increased concentrations of neurofilament and nociceptin in cerebrospinal fluid after nerve root compression. A simultaneous application of nucleus pulposus did not increase the response.
