Glucosamine HCl alters production of inflammatory mediators by rat intervertebral disc cells in vitro.
BACKGROUND
Studies on cartilage have shown anti-inflammatory effects of glucosamine related to inhibition of inflammatory mediators. Intradiscal injection of glucosamine has been proposed as a treatment for chronic discogenic low back pain. However, there have been no studies of the direct effects of glucosamine on disc cells.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of glucosamine HCl on pro-inflammatory mediator production by intervertebral disc cells.


METHODS
An in vitro, experimental study of interleukin-1 (IL-1) stimulated rat intervertebral disc cells treated with and without glucosamine HCl.


METHODS
Rat annulus and nucleus cells were cultured in alginate beads and exposed to IL-1a (10 ng/mL)+glucosamine HCl (4.5 mg/mL), IL-1 alone, or neither for 4 and 7 days. Cell viability and IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), and NO levels in the medium were quantified and compared across treatments.


RESULTS
Annulus cells, 7 days: Glucosamine completely inhibited IL-6 and TNF-alpha, increased NO (by 75%), and reduced viability (by 89%) compared with IL-1 alone. Nucleus cells, 7 days: Glucosamine reduced IL-6 (by 89%), PGE(2) (91%), and NO (90%) with no effect to viability.


CONCLUSIONS
Glucosamine inhibits inflammatory mediator production by IL-1 stimulated disc cells, but also adversely affects the viability of rat annulus cells. The response is cell-type dependent, illustrated by differences for annulus and nucleus cells.
Walsh
Andrew J L
AJ
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Bioengineering Laboratory, University of California, San Francisco, 533 Parnassus Ave., Box 0514, San Francisco, CA 94143-0514, USA.
O'neill
Conor W
CW
Lotz
Jeffrey C
JC
D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D015232:Dinoprostone; D005944:Glucosamine