Abstract Epidural fibrosis is the main cause of failed back surgery syndrome. To investigate the role of miR-146 in the diagnosis and development of epidural fibrosis. Lumbar disc tissues were collected from 72 lumbar disc herniation patients (45 developed epidural fibrosis and 27 did not). The expression of miR-146 in collected tissues and isolated epidural fibroblasts was detected by RT-qPCR. The relative levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were analyzed by ELISA. The effect of miR-146 on the proliferation of fibroblasts was evaluated by MTT assay. miR-146 was significantly upregulated in epidural fibrosis patients compared with control patients. The expression of miR-146 was closely associated with the location, lower limb symptom and duration of disease of epidural fibrosis patients, and was positively correlated with the relative levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, miR-146 could discriminate epidural fibrosis patients from control patients. In isolated epidural fibroblasts, the overexpression of miR-146 dramatically enhanced its proliferation and the inflammatory response. miR-146 serves as a diagnostic biomarker for the early detection of epidural fibrosis. The upregulation of miR-146 enhanced the fibroblasts proliferation and inflammatory response in epidural fibrosis. This study provides a novel potential therapeutic target for epidural fibrosis.

中文翻译：

---

miR-146在促进硬膜外纤维化中的临床意义和功能

摘要硬膜外纤维化是导致背部手术失败综合征的主要原因。目的探讨miR-146在硬膜外纤维化的诊断和发展中的作用。从72例腰椎间盘突出症患者中收集腰椎间盘组织（45例发生了硬膜外纤维化，而27例未发生）。通过RT-qPCR检测miR-146在收集的组织和分离的硬膜外成纤维细胞中的表达。通过ELISA分析促炎细胞因子的相对水平。通过MTT分析评估miR-146对成纤维细胞增殖的影响。与对照组相比，硬膜外纤维化患者中的miR-146明显上调。miR-146的表达与硬膜外纤维化患者的部位，下肢症状和病程密切相关，且与促炎细胞因子的相对水平呈正相关。而且，miR-146可以将硬膜外纤维化患者与对照患者区分开。在分离的硬膜外成纤维细胞中，miR-146的过表达显着增强了它的增殖和炎症反应。miR-146用作早期发现硬膜外纤维化的诊断生物标志物。miR-146的上调增强了硬膜外纤维化中的成纤维细胞增殖和炎症反应。这项研究为硬膜外纤维化提供了一种新型的潜在治疗靶点。miR-146用作早期发现硬膜外纤维化的诊断生物标志物。miR-146的上调增强了硬膜外纤维化中的成纤维细胞增殖和炎症反应。这项研究为硬膜外纤维化提供了一种新型的潜在治疗靶点。miR-146用作早期发现硬膜外纤维化的诊断生物标志物。miR-146的上调增强了硬膜外纤维化中的成纤维细胞增殖和炎症反应。这项研究提供了一种新的潜在的硬膜外纤维化治疗靶点。