Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026
Isolation and Characterization of Dendritic Cells and Macrophages from the Mouse Intestine
Published on: May 21, 2012
Interleukin-6 production is upregulated by interaction between disc tissue and macrophages
Toru Takada1, Kotaro Nishida, Minoru Doita
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
Study Design:
Interleukin (IL)-6 production was investigated using a coculture system of disc tissue and macrophages.
Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the interaction between intervertebral disc tissue and macrophages in terms of IL-6 production.
Summary Of Background Data:
IL-6 production is observed in human herniated disc specimens, and there is a correlation between IL-6 production and neurologic symptoms. However, the mechanism of IL-6 production in the herniated disc is not clear.
Materials And Methods:
Coccygeal intervertebral discs and exudated peritoneal macrophages were obtained from male Sprague-Dawley rats. Macrophages and intervertebral disc without endplates were cocultured in a serum-free medium. Fat tissue culture with or without macrophages, intervertebral disc alone, and macrophages alone were used for controls. The supernatant fluid of the culture was utilized for the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The precipitations of macrophages and disc coculture were used for semiquantitative RT-PCR for IL-6. Immunohistochemical staining for IL-6 and the macrophages marker (ED2) were also carried out using disc tissue cultured with macrophages.
Results:
IL-6 production level was significantly increased in the coculture of intervertebral disc and macrophages (P < 0.01). However, there was no significant production of IL-6 in the control groups. The precipitations from coculture of macrophages and disc expressed IL-6 mRNA in semiquantitative RT-PCR. Immunohistochemical staining revealed most IL-6 producing cells were also positive for ED2, which adheres to or infiltrates the peripheral area of the nucleus pulposus.
Conclusions:
Our results demonstrated that interaction between disc tissue and macrophage is necessary for upregulation of IL-6 production. Immunohistochemical staining also indicated that infiltrated macrophages played a major role in production of IL-6, suggesting that infiltration of macrophages into herniated disc material may be a trigger for IL-6 production and associated neurologic symptoms.
Related Concept Videos
01:24T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
01:12Chronic Inflammation: Introduction
01:25Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease