CD24 is expressed specifically in the nucleus pulposus of intervertebral discs

Nobuyuki Fujita, Takeshi Miyamoto, Jun Ichi Imai, Naobumi Hosogane, Toru Suzuki, Mitsuru Yagi, Kozo Morita, Ken Ninomiya, Kana Miyamoto, Hironari Takaishi, Morio Matsumoto, Hideo Morioka, Hiroo Yabe, Kazuhiro Chiba, Shinya Watanabe, Yoshiaki Toyama, Toshio Suda

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

127 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Intervertebral disc (IVD) consists of a soft gelatinous material in its center, the nucleus pulposus (NP), bounded peripherally by fibrocartilage, annulus fibrosus (AF). Despite the number of patients with IVD degeneration, gene expression analysis has not been undertaken in NP and therefore little is known about the molecular markers expressed in NP. Here, we undertook a microarray screen in NP with the other nine tissues to identify the specific cell surface markers for NP. Five membrane associating molecules out of 10,490 genes were identified as highly expressing genes in NP compared with the other tissues. Among them, we identified CD24, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor protein as a cell surface marker for NP. CD24 expression was also detected in the herniated NP and chordoma, a malignant primary tumor derived from notochordal cells, while it was absent in chondrosarcoma. Therefore, CD24 is a molecular marker for NP as well as the diseases of IVD.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1890-1896
Number of pages7
JournalBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Volume338
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30-12-2005
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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