J Korean Orthop Assoc.
1998 Jun;33(3):858-867.
The Production of Interleukin - 1 and Stromelysin in the Cultured Intervertebral Disc Cells of Rabbit
Abstract
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The cells of anulus fibrosus(AF) and nucleus pulposus(NP) of intervertebral disc are thought to be different in their cell components and in their roles during degeneration. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences between the cells of AF and NP when lactate was added to the culture medium. After the monolayer culture of cells from the AF and NP of a rabbit was set up, the cells were divided into three groups and lactate doses of a OmM, 2mM or 5mM were added respectively. The production of interleukin-1(IL-1) and stromelysin were measured by RT-PCR and Southern blot- ting. Both cells of NP and AF produced IL-1. The Southern blot showed that the AF cells produced more IL-1. Stromelysin was produced in both NP cells and AF cells. AF cells produced more stromelysin during the culture and the production of NP cells decreased during the culture. These results suggest that fibroblast-like cells composed of AF are more tolerable of lactate and are more active in production of IL-1 and stromelysin under exposure to lactate. As a result, AF cells are thought to have an important role in intervertebral disc degeneration through the production of IL-1 and stromelysin.