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ABSTRACT: Background
Intervertebral disc degeneration is a pathological process that involves an inflammation response. As a classical cellular feature, several studies have demonstrated that inflammation can promote nucleus pulposus (NP) cell apoptosis. Therefore, attenuation of NP cell apoptosis may be a potential way to retard disc degeneration.Objective
The present study was aimed to investigate the protective effects of osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) against NP cell apoptosis in an inflammation environment, and the potential signaling transduction pathway.Methods
Rat NP cells were cultured in medium with or without inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-? for 6 days. The exogenous TNF-? was added into the medium to investigate its protective effects. NP cell apoptosis was evaluated by cell apoptosis ratio, caspase-3 activity, gene/protein expression of apoptosis-related molecules (Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3). Additionally, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) content and activity of the NF-?B pathway were also analyzed.Results
Compared with the control NP cells, TNF-? significantly increased cell apoptosis ratio, caspase-3 activity, gene/protein expression of Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3, ROS content, and activity of the NF-?B pathway. However, OP-1 partly attenuated these effects in NP cells treated with TNF-?.Conclusion
OP-1 is effective in attenuating TNF-?-caused NP cell apoptosis, and the ROS/NF-?B pathway may be the potential signaling transduction pathway. The present study indicates that OP-1 may be helpful to inhibit inflammation-mediated disc degeneration.
SUBMITTER: Yu W
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6246766 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Yu Wei W Fu Jiabin J Liu Yan Y Wu Yuchi Y Jiang Dianming D
Bioscience reports 20181120 6
<h4>Background</h4>Intervertebral disc degeneration is a pathological process that involves an inflammation response. As a classical cellular feature, several studies have demonstrated that inflammation can promote nucleus pulposus (NP) cell apoptosis. Therefore, attenuation of NP cell apoptosis may be a potential way to retard disc degeneration.<h4>Objective</h4>The present study was aimed to investigate the protective effects of osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) against NP cell apoptosis in an infla ...[more]