Tobacco Smoke Exposure Stimulates Prostaglandin PGE2 and PGF2α Production by Human Intervertebral Disc Cells

Abstract

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are frequently used to block prostaglandin production to treat back pain. The prostaglandins PGE2 and PGF2α are highly expressed by intervertebral disc cells under inflammatory conditions. These prostaglandins have recently been demonstrated to perturb disc matrix homeostasis, and thus may contribute to intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Tobacco smoking is a powerful environmental risk factor in the development of IDD. Tobacco smoke is known to regulate PGE2 and PGF2α production in other tissues thus this study explored whether tobacco smoke modulates PGE2 and PGF2α production in human disc cells.