Cytokine profile of a human bone marrow cell culture on exposure to titanium-aluminium-vanadium particles

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to prove the effect of wear particles, especially Tivanium, in the mechanism of the aseptic loosening of total joint prostheses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Therefore, human bone marrow cell cultures were incubated with titanium-aluminium-vanadium particles of different concentrations which were added after the seventh day of culture (10(9), 10(8), 10(7), 10(6) particles per ml medium). From this time starts the real culture period (2 weeks). During these two weeks the medium was changed and the supernatants were sampled. Using an ELISA the cytokine levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-1beta, TNF-alpha and LDH were measured approximately every second day (1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 14). As a marker for toxicity the activity of LDH was determined. RESULTS: Incubation of a human bone marrow cell culture with titanium-aluminium-vanadium particles led to a maximum release of interleukin-6, interleukin-1beta, and TNF-alpha at high particle concentration (10(9) particles per ml medium). An increase of interleukin-1beta was only detectable at particle concentrations of 10(9) per ml medium. Exposure of the human bone marrow cell culture to titanium-aluminium-vanadium particles was toxic for high particle concentrations (10(9) particles per ml medium), as reflected by release of the intracellular enzyme LDH. DISCUSSION: This study shows the ability of tivanium wear particles in a human bone marrow cell culture to induce a signfically higher release of proinflammatory and osteolytic mediators which are responsible for the aseptic loosening of prosthesis and the problem of revisions. In comparison to other cell studies, our results were explained by the human bone marrow cell culture. The human bone marrow is the real effector tissue source "in situ" because the prosthesis is localised intramedullarly.