Fiber Type-Specific Morphological and Cellular Changes of Paraspinal Muscles in Patients with Severe Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

BACKGROUND Paraspinal muscle (PSM) has been suggested to have a role in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Few studies have investigated the fiber type-specific changes of PSM in detail. MATERIAL AND METHODS Bilateral multifidus muscles were harvested from the apical vertebra level (T7-T10) of 12 AIS patients and 6 control individuals. Immunohistological staining was performed to evaluate the muscle fiber type composition, fiber type-specific cross-sectional area (CSA), myonuclei density, and the total and activated satellite cell (SC) density. The correlations between these characteristics and curve initiation/severity were analyzed. RESULTS In comparison with the PSM in convexity and the control group, PSM in concavity showed a significant reduction of CSA (concavity, 2601.1±574.1 μm²; convexity, 3732.1±545.1 μm²; control, 3426.5±248.4 μm²), myonuclei density (concavity, 2.0±0.3 myonuclei/fiber; convexity, 2.5±0.4 myonuclei/fiber; control, 2.2±0.2 myonuclei/fiber), and activated SC density (concavity, 0.7±0.4 cells/100 fibers; convexity, 1.5±0.7 cells/100 fibers; control, 1.2±0.3 cells/100 fibers) for fiber type I. The Cobb angle was positively correlated with the bilateral ratio of CSA (convexity/concavity) for both fiber types. The apical vertebral translation was positively correlated with bilateral difference of myonuclei density (type I), total SC density (types I and II), and activated SC density (type I). CONCLUSIONS The fiber type-specific pathological changes on the concave side seemed to be more severe. Some fiber type-specific characteristics (CSA, myonuclei density, total/activated SC density) were closely associated with curve severity. More attention should be paid to PSM physiotherapy treatment on the concave side.