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. 2011 Nov;29(11):1634-41.
doi: 10.1002/jor.21430. Epub 2011 Apr 11.

Mechanical loading affects the energy metabolism of intervertebral disc cells

Hanan N Fernando  1 , Jessica Czamanski, Tai-Yi Yuan, Weiyong Gu, Abdi Salahadin, Chun-Yuh Charles Huang
Affiliations

Mechanical loading affects the energy metabolism of intervertebral disc cells

Hanan N Fernando et al. J Orthop Res. 2011 Nov.

Abstract

Research has shown that mechanical loading affects matrix biosynthesis of intervertebral disc (IVD) cells; however, the pathway(s) to this effect is currently unknown. Cellular matrix biosynthesis is an energy demanding process. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of static and dynamic compressive loading on energy metabolism of IVD cells. Porcine annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) cells seeded in 2% agarose were used in this experiment. Experimental groups included 15% static compression and 0.1 and 1 Hz dynamic compression at 15% strain magnitude for 4 h. ATP, lactate, glucose, and nitric oxide (NO) contents in culture media, and ATP content in cell-agarose construct were measured using biochemical assays. While the total ATP content of AF cells was promoted by static and dynamic loading, only 1 Hz dynamic loading increased total ATP content of NP cells. Increases in lactate production and glucose consumption of AF cells suggest that ATP production via glycolysis is promoted by dynamic compression. ATP release and NO production of AF and NP cells were significantly increased by dynamic loading. Thus, this study clearly illustrates that static and dynamic compressive loading affect IVD cell energy production while cellular responses to mechanical loading were both cell type and compression type dependent.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic of bioreactor.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Viability of (a) AF cells and (b) NP cells after 4-hour 1-Hz dynamic compression (green/red: live/dead cells)
Calcein green and ethidium homodimer were used to detect live and dead cells, respectively. Bar=100μm.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Significant effects of static and dynamic loading on ATP release, total ATP, lactate production, glucose consumption and NO production of a) AF cells and b) NP cells
The symbols (*:p<0.05; #:p<0.001) indicate statistically significant differences as compared with the uncompressed group.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Comparison of ATP release, total ATP, lactate production, glucose consumption, and NO production between the static and dynamic compression for (a) AF cells and (b) NP cells
The symbols (*:p<0.05; #:p<0.001) indicate statistically significant differences as compared with the static compression group.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Comparison of ATP release, total ATP, lactate production, glucose consumption, and NO production between AF cells and NP cells at a) Static b) 0.1 Hz and c) 1 Hz compression
The symbols (*:p<0.05; #:p<0.001) indicate statistically significant differences between the AF and NP cells.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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