Effect of lactate supplementation on gene expression of rat endplate cells

Beyond its role as a metabolic fuel, lactate has emerged as a signaling molecule including its role in lactyation which influences gene expression. In the intervertebral disc, cells are highly glycolytic and under the Warburg effect, are known to produce substantial amounts of lactate.

Here, we investigate lactate's role as a signaling molecule in the context of endplate cells within the intervertebral disc. In vivo deletion of lactate importer, MCT1, in the annulus fibrosus (AF) and EP, yields a degenerative disc phenotype with an immature bony endplate characterized by cartilaginous remnants and lack of vascularization. In vitro metabolomics with lactate supplementation suggested that EP cells do not prefer lactate as a metabolic fuel.