• Joo Han Kim, Hyuk Choi, Min Ji Suh, Jae Hee Shin, Min Ho Hwang, and Heung-Man Lee.
• *Department of Neurosurgery, Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea †Department of Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea ‡Seoul International School, Seoul, Korea §Medical Devices Clinical Trial Center, Guro Hospital, Korea University, Seoul, Korea; and ¶Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
• Spine. 2013 Oct 15;38(22):E1368-76.

Study DesignHuman annulus fibrosus (AF) cells were stimulated in vitro with interleukin (IL)-1β and exposed to biphasic electrical currents.ObjectiveTo identify the effect of biphasic electrical currents on the production of the extracellular matrix-modifying enzymes and inflammatory mediators in IL-1β-stimulated AF cells.Summary Of Background DataSymptomatic disc degeneration is an important cause of chronic intractable lumbar pain and is associated with macrophage-mediated inflammation in the AF. The inflammatory reaction relationship has not been studied in the AF.MethodsHuman AF cells were treated with 1 ng/mL IL-1β and cultured in a microcurrent generating chamber system. The levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP-3, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, TIMP-2, IL-6, IL-8, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), insulin-like growth factor, and nitric oxide (NO) were measured. Expression of cyclooxygenase 2 and type I collagen mRNA was analyzed.ResultsCompared with unstimulated cells, IL-1β-stimulated AF cells produced significantly higher levels of MMP-1, MMP-3, IL-6, IL-8, NO, and VEGF, and lower levels of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. Exposure to a 250-mV/mm field induced time-dependent increases in IL-6, NO, MMP-1, TIMP-1, VEGF, and insulin-like growth factor-1 production. The cells exposed to 500-mV/mm field produced significantly less MMP-1, TIMP-1, IL-6, and VEGF than unexposed cells (MMP-1, 17.2 ± 4.7 ng/mL vs. 27.3 ± 3.9 ng/mL, P< 0.05; TIMP-1, 12.4 ± 3.3 ng/mL vs. 22.3 ± 2.1 ng/mL, P< 0.02; IL-6, 2.5 ± 0.9 ng/mL vs. 6.39 ± 1.90 ng/mL, P< 0.05; and VEGF, 0.1 ± 0.04 ng/mL vs. 0.44 ± 0.15 ng/mL, P< 0.03). NO production was markedly increased at 500 mV/mm (P< 0.0001).ConclusionWe showed that exposure of IL-1β-stimulated AF cells to a 500 mV/mm inhibited MMP-1, IL-6, VEGF, and TIMP-1 production. The results suggest that biphasic electrical current stimulation may have efficacy in diminishing symptomatic disc degeneration.Level Of EvidenceN/A.

42 keywords...

hide…