Acute Systemic White Blood Cell Changes following Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) in a Mouse Model

Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2022 · DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911496 · Published: September 29, 2022

Simple Explanation

This study investigates changes in white blood cell composition in mice with Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM), a condition caused by age-related degeneration of the cervical spine. The aim was to determine if these changes could be used for diagnosis and treatment strategies. Researchers induced DCM in mice and analyzed their white blood cells over time. They found modest changes in white blood cell populations, mainly affecting monocytes and T cells in the early stages of DCM. The study suggests that monitoring white blood cells may not be a valuable tool for long-term monitoring of DCM progression, but the findings provide a basis for understanding the progression of DCM.

Study Duration

12 weeks

Participants

C57B/L mice

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Circulating monocytes increased four-fold at 3 weeks following DCM induction, but these differences normalized at subsequent time points.
2
T cells were two-fold lower in the DCM group at 3 weeks following DCM induction, but by 12 weeks they were higher than in the sham group.
3
Significant deterioration in base support was observed from 4 weeks onward when compared to their sham counterparts.

Research Summary

This study examined the temporal profile of circulating white blood cells during the progression of DCM in a mouse model. The research aimed to identify potential systemic hematological changes that could aid in disease diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment. The findings revealed that DCM causes modest white blood cell changes early in its development, specifically affecting T cells and monocytes at 3 to 6 weeks post-DCM induction. These systemic changes were unique compared to other CNS injury models. The study suggests that monitoring white blood cell composition may not be a valuable tool for long-term monitoring of DCM progression. However, it highlights the potential for hematological changes to be used for prognostication and guiding patient care.

Practical Implications

Diagnostic potential

Hematological changes could be used for prognostication and guiding appropriate patient care, similar to reports observed in white blood cells changes in both animal models and DCM patients following surgical decompression.

Understanding DCM progression

The study provides a basis for a deeper understanding towards the progression of DCM, by assessing the changes in the composition of circulating white blood cells.

Personalized Treatment Strategies

A better characterization of the systemic immune proﬁling in DCM allows surgeons to prepare for unexpected responses that might deviate from the normal time course and thus guide appropriate clinical decision-making.

Study Limitations

1
The expression of cytokines in the circulating immune cells was not assessed.
2
Changes in circulating white blood cells were assessed in a mouse model, so future studies should address whether similar ﬁndings are observed in DCM patients.
3
The study did not assess whether the observations are species-specific or sex-specific.

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