Expression of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Evaluation of Histological Degeneration Scores in Fibroblasts of Hypertrophied Ligamentum Flavum: A Qualitative Study
The most common spinal disorder in elderly is lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), resulting partly from ligamentum flavum (LF) hypertrophy. Its pathophysiology is not completely understood. The present study wants to elucidate the role of estrogen receptor α (ER α) in fibroblasts of hypertrophied LF. LF s...
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| author | Christina C. Westhoff Christian-Dominik Peterlein Hanna Daniel Juergen R. Paletta Roland Moll Annette Ramaswamy Stefan Lakemeier |
| author_facet | Christina C. Westhoff Christian-Dominik Peterlein Hanna Daniel Juergen R. Paletta Roland Moll Annette Ramaswamy Stefan Lakemeier |
| author_sort | Christina C. Westhoff |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The most common spinal disorder in elderly is lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), resulting partly from ligamentum flavum (LF) hypertrophy. Its pathophysiology is not completely understood. The present study wants to elucidate the role of estrogen receptor α (ER α) in fibroblasts of hypertrophied LF. LF samples of 38 patients with LSS were obtained during spinal decompression. Twelve LF samples from patients with disk herniation served as controls. Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) and Elastica stains and immunohistochemistry for ER α were performed. The proportions of fibrosis, loss and/or degeneration of elastic fibers and proliferation of collagen fibers were assessed according to the scores of Sairyo and Okuda. Group differences in the ER α and Sairyo and Okuda scores between patients and controls, male and female sex and absence and presence of additional orthopedic diagnoses were assessed with the Mann–Whitney <i>U</i> test. There was a tendency towards higher expression of ER α in LF fibroblasts in the hypertrophy group (<i>p</i> = 0.065). The Sairyo and Okuda scores were more severe for the hypertrophy group but, in general, not statistically relevant. There was no statistically relevant correlation between the expression of ER α and sex (<i>p</i> = 0.326). ER α expression was higher in patients with osteochondrosis but not statistically significant (<i>p</i> = 0.113). In patients with scoliosis, ER α expression was significantly lower (<i>p</i> = 0.044). LF hypertrophy may be accompanied by a higher expression of ER α in fibroblasts. No difference in ER α expression was observed regarding sex. Further studies are needed to clarify the biological and clinical significance of these findings. |
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| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:33:56Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-a891a2376a4c4b70a03a05ba290315ae2023-11-23T03:58:36ZengMDPI AGBiomolecules2218-273X2021-11-011112175210.3390/biom11121752Expression of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Evaluation of Histological Degeneration Scores in Fibroblasts of Hypertrophied Ligamentum Flavum: A Qualitative StudyChristina C. Westhoff0Christian-Dominik Peterlein1Hanna Daniel2Juergen R. Paletta3Roland Moll4Annette Ramaswamy5Stefan Lakemeier6Institute of Pathology, Philipps University, and University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, 35033 Marburg, GermanyCenter for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Philipps University, and University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, 35033 Marburg, GermanyInstitute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, Philipps University, 35037 Marburg, GermanyCenter for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Philipps University, and University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, 35033 Marburg, GermanyInstitute of Pathology, Philipps University, and University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, 35033 Marburg, GermanyInstitute of Pathology, Philipps University, and University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, 35033 Marburg, GermanyDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Orthopaedics and Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, GermanyThe most common spinal disorder in elderly is lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), resulting partly from ligamentum flavum (LF) hypertrophy. Its pathophysiology is not completely understood. The present study wants to elucidate the role of estrogen receptor α (ER α) in fibroblasts of hypertrophied LF. LF samples of 38 patients with LSS were obtained during spinal decompression. Twelve LF samples from patients with disk herniation served as controls. Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) and Elastica stains and immunohistochemistry for ER α were performed. The proportions of fibrosis, loss and/or degeneration of elastic fibers and proliferation of collagen fibers were assessed according to the scores of Sairyo and Okuda. Group differences in the ER α and Sairyo and Okuda scores between patients and controls, male and female sex and absence and presence of additional orthopedic diagnoses were assessed with the Mann–Whitney <i>U</i> test. There was a tendency towards higher expression of ER α in LF fibroblasts in the hypertrophy group (<i>p</i> = 0.065). The Sairyo and Okuda scores were more severe for the hypertrophy group but, in general, not statistically relevant. There was no statistically relevant correlation between the expression of ER α and sex (<i>p</i> = 0.326). ER α expression was higher in patients with osteochondrosis but not statistically significant (<i>p</i> = 0.113). In patients with scoliosis, ER α expression was significantly lower (<i>p</i> = 0.044). LF hypertrophy may be accompanied by a higher expression of ER α in fibroblasts. No difference in ER α expression was observed regarding sex. Further studies are needed to clarify the biological and clinical significance of these findings.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/11/12/1752ligamentum flavumhypertrophylumbar spinal stenosisestrogen receptor alphafibrosisdegeneration |
| spellingShingle | Christina C. Westhoff Christian-Dominik Peterlein Hanna Daniel Juergen R. Paletta Roland Moll Annette Ramaswamy Stefan Lakemeier Expression of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Evaluation of Histological Degeneration Scores in Fibroblasts of Hypertrophied Ligamentum Flavum: A Qualitative Study Biomolecules ligamentum flavum hypertrophy lumbar spinal stenosis estrogen receptor alpha fibrosis degeneration |
| title | Expression of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Evaluation of Histological Degeneration Scores in Fibroblasts of Hypertrophied Ligamentum Flavum: A Qualitative Study |
| title_full | Expression of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Evaluation of Histological Degeneration Scores in Fibroblasts of Hypertrophied Ligamentum Flavum: A Qualitative Study |
| title_fullStr | Expression of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Evaluation of Histological Degeneration Scores in Fibroblasts of Hypertrophied Ligamentum Flavum: A Qualitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Expression of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Evaluation of Histological Degeneration Scores in Fibroblasts of Hypertrophied Ligamentum Flavum: A Qualitative Study |
| title_short | Expression of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Evaluation of Histological Degeneration Scores in Fibroblasts of Hypertrophied Ligamentum Flavum: A Qualitative Study |
| title_sort | expression of estrogen receptor alpha and evaluation of histological degeneration scores in fibroblasts of hypertrophied ligamentum flavum a qualitative study |
| topic | ligamentum flavum hypertrophy lumbar spinal stenosis estrogen receptor alpha fibrosis degeneration |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/11/12/1752 |
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