Immunological effect of CB-11mAb on intervertebral disc degeneration

存在于透明软骨和髓核中的II型胶原作为免疫反应的分离抗原具有特异性，在考虑到椎间盘退变的机制时，环状断裂可能会在体内与髓核和淋巴细胞中的II型胶原接触。在人类中，相当多的患者表现出严重的多发性椎间盘退变，无论他们的克隆性年龄，这表明一个免疫背景，以代表椎间盘退变。从透明软骨的实验观察结果来看，II型胶原的CB-11多肽是T II C免疫反应的特异性片段。在本研究中，我们致力于纯化CB-11多肽的特异性单抗。初步研究表明，CB-11mAb对胶原性关节炎小鼠免疫抑制作用的结果表明，CB-11mAb识别TⅡC抗原表位。应用免疫组织化学ABC法，对12例新鲜腰椎间盘(主要是不同程度退变的髓核)进行CB-11mAb免疫组织化学染色。但在退变髓核中未见II型胶原免疫阳性反应，提示T II C免疫机制在人腰椎间盘退变过程中的作用可以忽略不计。

Type II collagen existing in the hyaline cartilage and nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc have a specific property as an isolated antigen for immunological reactions.In considering the mechanism of intervertebral disc degeneration, annular rupture may provide contact with Type II collagen in the nucleus pulposus and the lymphocytes in vivo. In humans, not a few patients show severe multiple intervertebral disc degeneration irrespective of their clonological ages, suggesting an immulogical background to represent disc degeneration. From the experimental results of hyaline cartilage observation, CB-11 peptide of Type II collagen is a specific fragment of immunoreactivity of T II C.In this reserch project, mamy efforts have been paid to refine the specific monoclonal antibody of CB-11 peptide (CB-11mAb). The pilot study clarified that the CB-11mAb recognized the antigen epitope of T II C from the results of immunosuppressive efects of CB-11mAb on collagen-induced arthritis in mice. Using an ABC method, serial immunohistochemical sections from 12 fresh intervertebral discs (mainly nucleus pulposus with various grade of degeneration) obtained by surgery was reacted with the CB-11mAb. However, none of positive immunoreactivity of Type II collagen was observed in degenerated nucleus pulposus.Thus the conclusion was drawn to be negligible on T II C immunologic mechanism on the process of intervertebral disc degeneration in humans.