Background
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is becoming a promising strategy to treat early intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) in clinics. Pure PRP without leukocytes (P-PRP) may decrease the catabolic and inflammatory changes in the early degenerated intervertebral discs. The
Conclusions
Leukocytes in PRP activate inflammatory and catabolic effects on NPSCs from early degenerated intervertebral discs. Hence, P-PRP may be a more suitable therapeutic strategy for early IDD.
Methods
NPSCs isolated from early degenerated discs of rabbits were treated with P-PRP or leukocyte-platelet-rich PRP (L-PRP) in vitro, followed by measuring cell proliferation, stem cell marker expression, inflammatory gene expression, and anabolic and catabolic protein expression by immunostaining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results
Cell proliferation was induced by P-PRP in a dose-dependent manner with maximum proliferation at 10% P-PRP dose. P-PRP induced differentiation of NPSCs into active nucleus pulposus cells. P-PRP mainly increased the expression of anabolic genes and relative proteins, aggrecan (AGC), collagen types II (Col II), while L-PRP predominantly increased the expression of catabolic and inflammatory genes, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), MMP-13, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and protein production of IL-1β and TNF-α. Conclusions: Leukocytes in PRP activate inflammatory and catabolic effects on NPSCs from early degenerated intervertebral discs. Hence, P-PRP may be a more suitable therapeutic strategy for early IDD.