IMMUNOLOCALIZATION OF MAJOR INTERSTITIAL COLLAGEN TYPES IN HUMAN LUMBAR INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS OF VARIOUS AGES

We used complete transverse sections through 65 samples of human lumba r intervertebral discs for immunolocalization of the major interstitia l collagen types I, II, III, V, VI and IX. The samples were selected f rom 47 patients ranging in age from 0 (fetuses) to 86 years. The resul ts were compared with the histological findings in disc tissue degener ation and/or reparative alterations as indicated by tear and cleft for mation, chondrocyte proliferation, mucous degeneration, granular matri x changes and fibrocartilage fibrillation. We observed a typical patte rn for each antibody and each anatomical structure, with, however, rem arkable inter- and intraindividual variability, which could be monitor ed only by use of the complete transverse sections. Accordingly, colla gen I was seen in the normal annulus fibrosus and in the degenerativel y altered nucleus pulposus, but not within the end-plate, regardless o f degenerative changes. Collagens II and IX were found in the normal n ucleus pulposus, the inner annulus fibrosus and the end-plate. The col lagen II (and IX) staining seemed to be enhanced in areas of minor deg enerative lesions, but reduced in advanced lesions and in the degenera ted end-plate. Collagens III and VI were significantly increased in ar eas of minor to advanced degeneration in all anatomical settings, whil e collagen V showed only minor changes in its staining pattern. In gen eral, histological signs of tissue degeneration coincided with signifi cant quantitative, but also with certain qualitative, changes in the c omposition of the collagenous disc matrix. These observations indicare the association of degenerative and/or reparative alterations of the intervertebral disc and changes in the collagenous matrix, but documen t the variability in the extent of the abnormalities observed.