Activated macrophage-like THP-1 cells modulate anulus fibrosus cell production of inflammatory mediators in response to cytokines

Joo Han Kim, Rebecca K. Studer, Gwendolyn A. Sowa, Nam Viet Vo, James D. Kang

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    45 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Study Design. Anulus fibrosus (AF) cells obtained from patients undergoing surgery were cocultured with macrophage-like cells and production of inflammatory mediators was analyzed by quantitative assay. Objective. To investigate the role of macrophages in AF cell production of inflammatory mediators by cytokines stimulation. Summary of Background Data. Discogenic pain caused by anular disruption is an important cause of low back pain and recent studies show the presence of macrophages in symptomatic discs but not in normal and aging discs. We hypothesize that macrophages play a major role in development of symptomatic disc. Methods. Human AF cells were cocultured with phorbol myristate acetate stimulated macrophage-like THP-1 cells. The conditioned medium from cells cultured alone or in coculture was assayed for cytokines by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and nitric oxide (NO) by the Greiss method. Using the same outcome measures, comparisons of cell response to cytokines were made among macrophage-like cells, naïve AF cells, and macrophage exposed AF cells. Results. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, and NO (TNF-α: 1.45 ± 0.29 ng/mL, IL-8: 97.02 ± 7.94 ng/mL, IL-6: 33.40 ± 3.55 ng/mL, NO: 8.42 ± 0.78 μmol/L) were secreted in much greater amounts by cells maintained in coculture compared to macrophages (TNF-α: 0.78 ± 0.12 ng/mL, IL-8: 58.04 ± 4.44 ng/mL, IL-6: 0.14 ± 0.03 ng/mL, NO: 0.30 ± 0.08 μmol/L) or AF cells cultured alone. In addition, IL-6 secretion from AF cells in response to TNF-α was up-regulated by coculture, however, IL-6 secretion in response to IL-1 β was downregulated in a dose-dependent manner. Coculture with macrophages also up-regulated AF cell secretion of IL-8 dose-dependently and downregulated NO to TNF-α or IL-1β stimulation. Conclusion. We conclude that exposure to macrophages, as can be expected after anular injury, can result in enhanced response to local inflammation. Although changes were observed in all inflammatory mediators after macrophage exposure, the most significant change was observed in IL-6 and IL-8, implicating these mediators in development of symptomatic disc.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2253-2259
    Number of pages7
    JournalSpine
    Volume33
    Issue number21
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2008 Oct 1

    Keywords

    • Anulus fiborsus
    • Coculture
    • Cytokines
    • Intervertebral disc
    • Low back pain
    • Macrophages

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
    • Clinical Neurology

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