Lumbar Facet Joint Compressive Injury Induces Lasting Changes in Local Structure, Nociceptive Scores, and Inflammatory Mediators in a Novel Rat Model

Figure 7

Entire rat spinal cords were ejected and lumbar dorsal horns were dissected from intact control (naïve tissue), sham control (upper panel, open surgery is performed as in the experimental group, but without facet joint compression) and the experimental group (lower panel, open surgery followed by facet joint L5/L6 compression) in a time course (day 7, 14, and 28). Tissue lysates of spinal cords were prepared and equal amount of protein (25 𝜇g each) was analyzed for the activation of ERK MAP kinase 1/2 (44 and 42 kDa, resp.) by using phosphospecific anti-ERK1/2 antibody. Nonphosphospecific total anti-ERK antibody was used for internal control for normalization of the western blotting analyses. All immunoblotting experiments were repeated at least three times.