PROSTAGLANDIN RELEASE FROM LUMBAR DISC AND FACET JOINT TISSUE

Objectives. The authors measured prostaglandin (PG) and leukotriene (L T) release from human disc and lumbar facet joint tissues. Summary of Background Data. High levels of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) have been meas ured in the human disc. PLA2 releases fatty acids from lipid membranes . These can be converted to PG and LT, which are potent inflammatory m ediators and supposed to be involved in lumbar diseases. Methods. The tissues were obtained during surgery and incubated in Tyrode's solutio n. PG and LT release was measured radioimmunologically from the supern atant. Results. Disc (4 ng/g wet weight), cartilage (21 ng/g wet weigh t), and bone (14 ng/g wet weight) released PGs but no LTs. Conclusion. Because PG release from sequestrated disc is rather low, the inflamma tory effect might be more because of immunologic reactions.