Effects of extracorporeal shock waves on human articular chondrocytes and ovine bone marrow stromal cells in vitro.
BACKGROUND
We investigated the effects of extracorporeal shock waves on cytotoxicity and on the proliferation of human chondrocytes and ovine bone marrow stromal cells.


METHODS
Isolated cells were cultured to confluence, and 500 shock waves were applied at energy flux densities of 0, 0.02, 0.06, and 0.17 mJ/mm(2 )for the cytotoxicity assay. The same energies at 100, 500, and 1000 impulses were used for the proliferation assay.


RESULTS
Although bone marrow stromal cells revealed a dose- and impulse-dependent increase in the proliferation rate, no significant differences were found. Chondrocytes had less proliferative potential than untreated control groups. In the experimental set-up using 1000 impulses, proliferation was even higher in the control group. Both types of cells revealed a dose-dependent increase in cytotoxicity in the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay.


CONCLUSIONS
As femoral head necrosis, osteochondritis dissecans, and similar disorders are increasingly treated with shock waves, their effect on human cartilage and chondrocytes deserves attention. We recommend further in vitro experiments with bone marrow stromal cells, as the latter might play an important role in the presumed multifactorial osteogenetic mechanism of shock waves due to their pluripotent character.
Dorotka
R
R
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria. r.dorotka@utanet.at
Kubista
B
B
Schatz
K-D
KD
Trieb
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D019220:High-Energy Shock Waves; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged
D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase