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Hypoxic regulation of functional extracellular matrix elaboration by nucleus pulposus cells in long‐term agarose culture

Degeneration of the intervertebral discs is strongly implicated as a cause of low back pain. Since current treatments for discogenic low back pain show poor long‐term efficacy, a number of new biological strategies are being pursued. For such therapies to succeed, it is critical that they be validated in conditions that mimic the unique biochemical microenvironment of the nucleus pulposus (NP), which include low oxygen tension. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of oxygen tension on NP cell functional extracellular matrix elaboration in 3D culture. Bovine NP cells were encapsulated in agarose constructs and cultured for 14 or 42 days in either 20% or 2% oxygen in defined media containing transforming growth factor beta‐3. At each time point, extracellular matrix composition, biomechanics, and mRNA expression of key phenotypic markers were evaluated. Results showed that while bulk mechanics and composition were largely independent of oxygen level, low oxygen promoted improved restoration of the NP phenotype, higher mRNA expression of extracellular matrix and NP specific markers, and more uniform matrix elaboration. These findings indicate that culture under physiological oxygen levels is an important consideration for successful development of cell and growth factor‐based regenerative strategies for the disc. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:747–754, 2015.