Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 6, 2025
Operational and Intervention Effects of Targeted Tuina in Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Model Rabbits
Published on: July 21, 2023
Role of AP-2α/TGF-β1/Smad3 axis in rats with intervertebral disc degeneration
Haoxi Li1, Wenhao Li1, Bin Liang1
1Department of Spine Surgery, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
Objective:
Studies have proposed the role of AP-2α in human disease. However, few have focused on its effects on intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). This study intends to discuss the role of AP-2α in IDD by regulating TGF-β1 and Smad3 expression.
Methods:
The AP-2α and TGF-β1 expression in IDD NP clinical samples was detected. Rat models of IDD were established by acupuncture. The rats were injected with AP-2α low expression adeno-associated virus or TGF-β1 high expression adeno-associated virus to observe their effects on pathological damages, NP cell apoptosis, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, Smad3, Aggrecan and collagen (Col)-2 expression in NP tissues. The NP cells were isolated and transfected with silenced AP-2α or overexpressed TGF-β1 vector to figure out their functions in growth, senescence and apoptosis.
Results:
AP-2α and TGF-β1 were upregulated in NP tissues of patients and rats with IDD. AP-2α silencing limited the activation of TGF-β1 signaling pathway. Reduced AP-2α ameliorated pathological changes, declined MMP-2, MMP-9 and Smad3 expression and elevated Aggrecan and Col-2 expression in NP tissues of rats with IDD, and speeded up the growth and depressed senescence and apoptosis of NP cells of rats with IDD. Up-regulating TGF-β1 weakened the effect of down-regulated AP-2α on NP tissues and cells in IDD.
Conclusion:
Collectively, our study demonstrates that knockdown of AP-2α restricts TGF-β1 and Smad3 expression to promote proliferation and depress senescence and apoptosis of NP cells in rats with IDD.
