Chinese Journal of Clinical Anatomy ›› 2025, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (1): 69-75.doi: 10.13418/j.issn.1001-165x.2025.1.11

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Experimental study on the effect of autologous ligamenta flava on TGF-β1 /Smad3 signaling pathway on epidural fiber scar formation in rabbits

Wang Peng1, Zhang Debao2, Zhang Yang1, Zhang Haibin1, Shi Jia3, Zhang Shaojie4, Li Shuwen1*, Wu Yimin1*   

  1. 1. The Second Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010000, China; 2. Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People's Hospital, Hohhot 010000, China; 3. First Clinical College of Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010000, China; 4. Department of Anatomy (Digital Medicine Center), School of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010000, China
  • Received:2024-02-24 Online:2025-01-25 Published:2025-01-22

Abstract: Objective    To explore the relationship between the formation of epidural fiber scar and TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway after lumbar spine surgery inhibited by autologous ligamenta flava by comparing the protein expression levels of TGF-β1 and Smad3, the corresponding mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1 and Smad3 at 3 and 6 weeks after laminectomy in different groups of rabbits.   Methods    Forty-eight old Japanese white rabbits, aged 6 to 8 months, purchased from the Experimental Animal Center of Inner Mongolia Medical University were divided into the following group: a retention of ligamenta flava group, an autologous fat replacement group and a non- retention of ligamenta flava group. Surgical modeling was performed for different groups. After operation, the experimental animals in each group were fed for 3 weeks and 6 weeks respectively and killed (8 animals in 3 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively). The protein content and mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1 and Smad3 in samples of each group were determined by Western-blot quantitative analysis and RT-PCR, and the above data were compared between groups to analyze their differences.   Results   ①Western-blot analysis results: The expression levels of TGF-β1 and Smad3 in the retention group were lower than those in the non-retention group and the fat group at 3 and 6 weeks (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between the non-retention group and the fat group. ② RT-PCR results showed that the mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1 and Smad3 in the retention group were significantly lower than those in the non-retention group and the fat group at 3 and 6 weeks (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between the non-retention group and the fat group.    Conclusions    After lumbar surgery, different degrees of epidural fiber scar will form. Intraoperative retention of autologous ligamenta flava can reduce the formation of epidural fibroblasts by the mechanism related to the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway.

Key words: Ligamenta flava; ,  , Fibrous scar; ,  , TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway; ,  , Western-blot; ,  , RT-PCR technique

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