Effects of Age on Intervertebral Disc Tissue Morphology and Gene Expression in the ADAM8-Inactivation Mouse

Yao, Lutian; Wang, Huan; Tian, Zuozhen; Shofer, Frances S.; Qin, Ling; Zhang, Yejia

doi:10.3390/cells15080730

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Age on Intervertebral Disc Tissue Morphology and Gene Expression in the ADAM8-Inactivation Mouse

by

Lutian Yao

¹

,

Huan Wang

^1,2,

Zuozhen Tian

³,

Frances S. Shofer

⁴,

Ling Qin

¹ and

Yejia Zhang

^3,5,*

¹

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

²

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China

³

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

⁴

Department of Emergency Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

⁵

Section of Rehabilitation Medicine, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Cells 2026, 15(8), 730; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15080730

Submission received: 15 January 2026 / Revised: 14 April 2026 / Accepted: 16 April 2026 / Published: 20 April 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Insights into Mechanism and Treatment of Degenerative Disc Disease)

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Abstract

Purpose: To determine which age of mice should be used to compare the effects of ADAM8 mutation on intervertebral disc (IVD) responses to injury. Methods: IVDs of ADAM8 mutant (Adam8^EQ) and wild type (WT) mice, aged 3, 10 and 18 months were injured. IVD tissues were harvested 1 week post injury for histological and molecular studies. Results: Histological scores increased with aging in intact IVDs, and there were no differences between Adam8^EQ and WT mice (n = 11–28; p > 0.05). Safranin O-staining was less intense in 10-month than in 3-month-old mice, in both intact and injured IVDs (n = 3–15; p < 0.05). Cxcl1, Il6, and Adam8 gene expression levels were higher in the injured tail IVDs of 3-month-old Adam8^EQ than WT mice (n = 18–30; p < 0.05); the injury-related differences diminished with increasing age. Conclusions: No histological differences were found between Adam8^EQ and WT mouse IVDs at 3, 10 or 18 months of age, in the intact or injured discs. The differences in inflammatory marker gene expression were detectable at age 3 months, but were less evident when the injury occurred at age 10 or 18 months. Therefore, to identify differences in injury responses between WT and Adam8^EQ mouse IVDs, 3-month-old mice are superior to older mice.

Keywords: ADAM8; inactivation; intervertebral disc; injury; age; inflammation

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MDPI and ACS Style

Yao, L.; Wang, H.; Tian, Z.; Shofer, F.S.; Qin, L.; Zhang, Y. Effects of Age on Intervertebral Disc Tissue Morphology and Gene Expression in the ADAM8-Inactivation Mouse. Cells 2026, 15, 730. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15080730

AMA Style

Yao L, Wang H, Tian Z, Shofer FS, Qin L, Zhang Y. Effects of Age on Intervertebral Disc Tissue Morphology and Gene Expression in the ADAM8-Inactivation Mouse. Cells. 2026; 15(8):730. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15080730

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yao, Lutian, Huan Wang, Zuozhen Tian, Frances S. Shofer, Ling Qin, and Yejia Zhang. 2026. "Effects of Age on Intervertebral Disc Tissue Morphology and Gene Expression in the ADAM8-Inactivation Mouse" Cells 15, no. 8: 730. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15080730

APA Style

Yao, L., Wang, H., Tian, Z., Shofer, F. S., Qin, L., & Zhang, Y. (2026). Effects of Age on Intervertebral Disc Tissue Morphology and Gene Expression in the ADAM8-Inactivation Mouse. Cells, 15(8), 730. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15080730

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Effects of Age on Intervertebral Disc Tissue Morphology and Gene Expression in the ADAM8-Inactivation Mouse

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