Characterization of metabolites determined by means of (1)H HR MAS NMR in intervertebral disc degeneration

OBJECT: The objective of this study is the identification of metabolites by means of (1)H high resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H HR MAS NMR) spectroscopy and the evaluation of their applicability in distinguishing between healthy and degenerated disc tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Differences between the metabolic profiles of healthy and degenerated disc tissues were studied by means of (1)H HR MAS NMR. Analysis was performed for 81 disc tissue samples (control samples n = 21, degenerated disc tissue samples n = 60). Twenty six metabolites (amino acids, carbohydrates, and alcohols) were identified and quantified. RESULTS: The results indicate that the metabolic profile of degenerated discs is characterized by the presence of 2-propanol and the absence of scyllo-inositol and taurine. The concentrations of 2-propanol and lactate increase with age. CONCLUSION: PCA analysis of ex vivo (1)H HR MAS NMR data revealed the occurrence of two groups: healthy and degenerative disc tissues. The effects of insufficient nutrient supply of discs, leading to their degeneration and back pain, are discussed. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10334-014-0457-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.