ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Ortopedica e Traumatologica 2010 February;61(1):21-6

Copyright © 2010 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Effects of nicotine on the inflammatory mediators in experimental intervertebral disc tissue

Li W., Lian Y. Y., Yue Q., Yue W. J., Yang D. W., Meng Q. G.

¹ Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China 2 Medical Research Center, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China

AIM: The aim of this paper was to study the effect of nicotine on herniated or degenerative lumbar disc tissue and its induced peripheral blood white cells to produce inflammatory mediators such as No and IL-6.
METHODS: Ten specimens of lumbar discs were obtained from patients with protrusion of lumbar disc when operated on. The peripheral blood samples were drawn from ten healthy adult volunteers. Monocytes were separated from each sample. Then, cell culture was performed as the following combinations: Group 1 was disc tissue and medium. Group 2 was disc tissue + nicotine + medium. Group 1 was deactivated disc tissue + monocytes + medium. Group 4 was deactivated disc tissue + monocytes + nicotine + medium. Group 5 was monocytes + medium. Group 6 was monocytes+nicotine + medium. The samples were incubated in CO2 culture box for 72 hours, then taken out, the medium was collected for assayed the quantity of NO and IL-6 (using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, ELISA).
RESULTS: The quantity of NO and IL-6 secreted by Group 2 was significantly greater than Group 1 (P<0.05, P<0.01).The quantity of NO and IL-6 secreted by Group 4 was significantly greater than Group 3 (P<0.01, P<0.01). The quantity of NO and IL-6 secreted by Group 6 was significantly greater than Group 5 (P<0.05, P<0.05). The quantity of NO and IL-6 secreted by Group 3 was significantly greater than Group 1 and Group 5 (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION: Herniated or degenerative disc tissue was of the capacity to secrete inflammatory mediators such as NO and IL-6, and it was increased significantly after nicotine stimulation. Disc tissue could induce monocytes to produce high concentration NO and IL-6 and it was increased significantly after nicotine stimulation.