LIPUS inhibits inflammation and catabolism through the NF-κB pathway in human degenerative nucleus pulposus cells.

Background: Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) is a safe and noninvasive rehabilitative physical therapy with anti-inflammatory effects. The current study investigated the effect of LIPUS on the inflammation of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and its underlying mechanism.

Methods: Human NP cells were acquired from lumbar disc herniation tissue samples and cultured for experiments. Human NP cells were treated with LPS and then exposed to LIPUS (15 mW/cm, 30 mW/cm and 60 mW/cm) for 20 min daily for 3 days to determine the appropriate intensity to inhibit the expression of the inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-1β. The gene and protein expression of aggrecan, collagen II, MMP-3 and MMP-9 was measured by real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. The activity of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway was examined by western blotting and immunofluorescence. After pretreatment with the NF-κB inhibitor PDTC, the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, MMP-3 and MMP-9 was measured by real-time PCR.

Results: LIPUS at intensities of 15 mW/cm, 30 mW/cm and 60 mW/cm inhibited LPS-induced NP cell expression of the inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-1β, especially at 30 mW/cm. LIPUS significantly upregulated the gene and protein expression of aggrecan and collagen II and downregulated the gene and protein expression of MMP-3 and MMP-9 in LPS-induced NP cells. The NF-κB signaling pathway was inhibited by LIPUS through inhibiting the protein expression of p-P65 and the translocation of P65 into the nucleus in LPS-induced NP cells. In addition, LIPUS had similar effects as the NF-κB inhibitor PDTC by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway, inflammation and catabolism in LPS-induced human degenerative nucleus pulposus cells.

Conclusion: LIPUS inhibited inflammation and catabolism through the NF-κB pathway in human degenerative nucleus pulposus cells.