This study aimed to examine whether stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) or C-X-C chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) participates in the development of lumbar disc degeneration, as implicated earlier by the level of CXCL12 correlating with this disease. It enrolled 145 patients with symptomatic lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and 130 asymptomatic healthy controls with no indication of IDD. Radiological assessment of the IDD patients was targeted at the lumbar vertebra region, based on Pfirrmann grade. Degeneration of the multifidus and psoas major muscles was evaluated using Goutallier classification. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores were obtained for assessing the severity of manifestation. The levels of serum CXCL12, IL-6 and TNF-α were determined by ROC curve analysis, resulting in their prognostic value for Pfirrmann grading. Higher levels of serum CXCL12 were found in patients with IDD than in asymptomatic individuals, and were positively related to the Pfirrmann grade as well as multifidus muscle degeneration. Furthermore, serum CXCL12 concentration showed a significant correlation with the VAS and ODI scores. In addition, elevated serum CXCL12 levels were related to serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6. The ROC curve analysis implicated that CXCL12 could function as a biomarker of the early-mediate phase of IDD development. In summary, the serum CXCL12/SDF-1 level is positively related with lumbar IDD and its clinical severity.
Keywords: C-X-C chemokine ligand 12; Stromal cell-derived factor-1; disease progression; intervertebral disc degeneration.