Figure 8.

Histologic assessment after ADAMTS5 small interfering RNA (siRNA) or control siRNA injection in the rabbit anular puncture model of disc degeneration. In ADAMTS5 siRNA-injected discs, the anulus fibrosus (AF) and the border between the AF and nucleus pulposus (NP) showed a tendency to have a lower (better) histologic score than the control siRNA-injected discs (Mann-Whitney test; P < 0.1). In the NP, the cellularity, matrix, and total grading score (SUM) were significantly better in the ADAMTS5 siRNA-injected discs than in the control siRNA-injected discs (Mann-Whitney test; P < 0.05).