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Duration-dependent influence of dynamic torsion on the intervertebral disc: an intact disc organ culture study

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Abstract

Purpose

Mechanical loading is an important parameter that alters the homeostasis of the intervertebral disc (IVD). Studies have demonstrated the role of compression in altering the cellular metabolism, anabolic and catabolic events of the disc, but little is known how complex loading such as torsion–compression affects the IVD cell metabolism and matrix homeostasis. Studying how the duration of torsion affects disc matrix turnover could provide guidelines to prevent overuse injury to the disc and suggest possible beneficial effect of torsion. The aim of the study was to evaluate the biological response of the IVD to different durations of torsional loading.

Methods

Intact bovine caudal IVD were isolated for organ culture in a bioreactor. Different daily durations of torsion were applied over 7 days at a physiological magnitude (±2°) in combination with 0.2 MPa compression, at a frequency of 1 Hz.

Results

Nucleus pulpous (NP) cell viability and total disc volume decreased with 8 h of torsion–compression per day. Gene expression analysis suggested a down-regulated MMP13 with increased time of torsion. 1 and 4 h per day torsion–compression tended to increase the glycosaminoglycans/hydroxyproline ratio in the NP tissue group.

Conclusions

Our result suggests that load duration thresholds exist in both torsion and compression with an optimal load duration capable of promoting matrix synthesis and overloading can be harmful to disc cells. Future research is required to evaluate the specific mechanisms for these observed effects.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by funds from the Swiss National Science Foundation (project # 310030_153411), the Orthopedic Department of the Insel University Hospital of Bern and the Lindenhof foundation (project # 14-03-F). We thank Dr Stefan Bauer for his contribution on the digital data processing. The imaging part of this study was performed with the facility of the Microscopy Imaging Center (MIC), University of Bern.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tissue and Organ Mechanobiology, Institute for Surgical Technology and Biomechanics, University of Bern, Stauffacherstrasse 78, 3014, Bern, Switzerland

    Samantha C. W. Chan & Benjamin Gantenbein

  2. Biointerfaces, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St Gallen, Switzerland

    Samantha C. W. Chan

  3. Institute for Biomechanics, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Jochen Walser & Stephen J. Ferguson

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  1. Samantha C. W. Chan
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Correspondence to Samantha C. W. Chan.

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Chan, S.C.W., Walser, J., Ferguson, S.J. et al. Duration-dependent influence of dynamic torsion on the intervertebral disc: an intact disc organ culture study. Eur Spine J 24, 2402–2410 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-015-4140-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-015-4140-6

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