A Review of Pinealectomy-Induced Melatonin-Deficient Animal Models for the Study of Etiopathogenesis of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Man Gene Chi Wai²  Wang William Wei Jun⁴  Yim Annie Po Yee³  Wong Jack Ho¹  Ng Tzi Bun¹  Lam Tsz Ping³  Lee Simon Kwong Man⁵  Ng Bobby Kin Wah³  Wang Chi Chiu²  Qiu Yong⁴ 

[1] School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; E-Mails:;Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; E-Mails:;Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; E-Mails:;Department of Spine Surgery, Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China; E-Mails:;Lee Hysan Clinical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; E-Mail:

关键词: adolescent idiopathic scoliosis;    melatonin;    pinealectomy;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms150916484

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a common orthopedic disorder of unknown etiology and pathogenesis. Melatonin and melatonin pathway dysfunction has been widely suspected to play an important role in the pathogenesis. Many different types of animal models have been developed to induce experimental scoliosis mimicking the pathoanatomical features of idiopathic scoliosis in human. The scoliosis deformity was believed to be induced by pinealectomy and mediated through the resulting melatonin-deficiency. However, the lack of upright mechanical spinal loading and inherent rotational instability of the curvature render the similarity of these models to the human counterparts questionable. Different concerns have been raised challenging the scientific validity and limitations of each model. The objectives of this review follow the logical need to re-examine and compare the relevance and appropriateness of each of the animal models that have been used for studying the etiopathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in human in the past 15 to 20 years.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.