[Role of glycosaminoglycans in the pathogenesis of vertebral osteochondrosis (clinico-experimental study)].

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and their fractions were measured in relation to age. The material for examination consisted of labile intervertebral disks (27 cases) obtained during operations for discogenic lumbosacral radiculites and disks obtained from people (n = 35) who had died in accidents. The findings showed marked deviations in the total GAGs and their fractions in labile disks, which differed from age-specific changes. The changes revealed in animals with cholesterol atherosclerosis (50 rabbits) and chronic papain degeneration (56 rabbits) resembled those characteristic of vertebral osteochondrosis. It is concluded that degenerative dystrophic changes in osteochondrosis may be induced by both atherosclerotic process and an elevated activity of lysosome enzymes.