Health Discoveries in General Health News
Immune cell may affect back pain from herniated discs
August 17, 2010
Duke University researchers have found an immune cell linked to autoimmune disorders that may affect back pain associated with herniated discs.
The cell known as cytokine molecule interleukin-17 (IL-17) appears to cause the painful inflammation in disc disease, adding to previous evidence that an immune response factors into spinal disc disease.
A herniated disc occurs when the outer layer of cartilage breaks and allows inner material of the disc to protrude into the spinal canal. The inner material hasn't been exposed to the body's immune system, which attacks it in the same way it would any virus or foreign body. The nerve root then becomes inflamed.
"By identifying the specific subpopulation of lymphocytes (immune cells that are excited into action by the cytokine), it may soon be possible to arrest the body's inflammatory response to disc cells," said Dr. William J. Richardson, an orthopedic surgeon at Duke's medical center.
The findings were published recently in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.
Within the North Shore-LIJ Health System, research is ongoing on spinal injury and regeneration through the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research's laboratory of neuroimmunology. The laboratory investigates the role of inflammation in diseases or injuries that affect the nervous system, including damage to the spinal cord.
The cell known as cytokine molecule interleukin-17 (IL-17) appears to cause the painful inflammation in disc disease, adding to previous evidence that an immune response factors into spinal disc disease.
A herniated disc occurs when the outer layer of cartilage breaks and allows inner material of the disc to protrude into the spinal canal. The inner material hasn't been exposed to the body's immune system, which attacks it in the same way it would any virus or foreign body. The nerve root then becomes inflamed.
"By identifying the specific subpopulation of lymphocytes (immune cells that are excited into action by the cytokine), it may soon be possible to arrest the body's inflammatory response to disc cells," said Dr. William J. Richardson, an orthopedic surgeon at Duke's medical center.
The findings were published recently in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.
Within the North Shore-LIJ Health System, research is ongoing on spinal injury and regeneration through the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research's laboratory of neuroimmunology. The laboratory investigates the role of inflammation in diseases or injuries that affect the nervous system, including damage to the spinal cord.