ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate intervertebral disc levels of inflammatory factor (interleukin 6) and proteinase activity (cathepsin B) in patients with a degenerative disease and serum levels of interleukin 6, serum cathepsin B activity and hyaluronic acid biomarkers. Methods: We conducted immunohistochemistry studies of intervertebral discs to analyze interleukin 6 and cathepsin B levels of patients with degenerative disease and spine fracture (Control Group) and to measure hyaluronic acid, interleukin 6 and cathepsin B activity from sera of intervertebral disc degeneration […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the frequency of polymorphisms in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene, as well as to identify a potential risk haplotype among the polymorphic regions in this gene in patients with disc degeneration and in the Control Group. Methods: This study analyzed a total of 217 individuals distributed into the Disc Degeneration and Control Groups. Peripheral blood was collected from all patients to detect VEGF gene polymorphisms identified by qPCR (rs699947, rs1570360, rs2010963, rs833061 and rs3025039). […]