Publications by authors named "Karin Wurtz"

Hydroxytyrosol, an important polyphenolic compound found in olive oil, has shown anti-tumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. However, effects of hydroxytyrosol on prostate cancer are largely unkown. We found that hydroxytyrosol preferentially reduces the viability of human prostate cancer cells (PC-3, DU145) compared to an immortalized non-malignant prostate epithelial cell line (RWPE-1).

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Intervertebral disc structures are exposed to wide ranges of intradiscal hydrostatic pressure during different loading exercises and are at their minimum during lying or relaxed sitting and at maximum during lifting weights with a round back. We hypothesize that these different loading magnitudes influence the intervertebral disc (IVD) by alteration of disc matrix turnover depending on their magnitudes. Therefore the aim of this study was to assess changes in gene expression of human nucleus cells after the application of low hydrostatic pressure (0.

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Object: To study intervertebral disc cell mechanobiology, the authors developed experimental systems that allow the application of cyclic strain and intermittent hydrostatic pressure (IHP) on isolated disc cells under equal three-dimensional (3D) culture conditions. The purpose of the study was to characterize disc cell proliferation, viability, morphology, and gene expression in 3D collagen matrices.

Methods: The effects of cyclic strain (1, 2, 4, and 8% strain; 1 Hz) and IHP (0.

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