title: The influence of human intervertebral disc tissue on the metabolism of osteoblast-like cells.
abstract: Extensive studies have been performed to evaluate different factors that may affect on spinal interbody fusion, but the role of intervertebral disc tissue in the fusion process remains unclear. To study the influence of intervertebral disc tissue on osteoblast metabolism, we harvested disc tissue from patients who had undergone spinal surgery. The nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus were separately co-cultured with osteoblast-like cells SaOS-2 by means of culture inserts or organ culture. We assayed alkaline phosphoatase activity, 3H-thymidine incorporation into the DNA, and production of collagen type I, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-alpha. Exposure of the nucleus pulposus (NP) to osteoblast-like cells revealed stimulation of alkaline phosphatase production, 3H-thymidine incorporation and collagen type I production. Exposure of the annulus fibrosus (AF) stimulated 3H-thymidine incorporation and collagen type I production, but did not affect ALP activity. IL-6 was detected after application of NP and AF. Interleukin IL-10, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha were all below detection levels after application of disc tissue. Our findings show that frozen disc tissue stimulates the metabolism of osteoblast-like cells in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Research Laboratory, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. li_haisheng@hotmail.com
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laursen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bünger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase