Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Inhibitory activity of CXCR4 attenuates intervertebral disc degeneration by regulating TXNIP/NLRP3 expression

Jie Yu, Xiaohui Tao

Department of Spinal Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, China;

For correspondence:- Xiaohui Tao Email: heyk9@crceg-na.com Tel:+8613466634973

Accepted: 15 January 2022 Published: 28 February 2021

Citation: Yu J, Tao X. Inhibitory activity of CXCR4 attenuates intervertebral disc degeneration by regulating TXNIP/NLRP3 expression. Trop J Pharm Res 2022; 21(2):265-271 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v21i2.8

© 2022 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To explore the inhibitory effect and mechanism of action of CXCR4 on intervertebral disc degeneration.

Methods: The expression of CXCR4 was assessed in different degrees of degenerate disc tissues. Nucleus pulposus (NP) cells-induced degeneration were obtained using interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) stimulation. CXCR4 inhibitor, AMD 3100, was employed to resist the function of CXCR4, in order to determine whether CXCR4 inhibition acted by targeting TXNIP/NLRP3 axis.

Results: expression of CXCR4 increased in severely degenerated disc tissues. IL-1β activated and promoted the progression of intervertebral disc degeneration, but AMD3100 treatment reversed the effects of IL-1β. Moreover, TXNIP and NLRP3 were significantly suppressed by AMD3100 stimuli.

Conclusion: The results demonstrate that inhibition of CXCR4 prevents NP cells from degradation by regulating TXNIP/NLRP3 signaling pathway, thus indicating that this approach could be effective in the management of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Keywords: Nucleus pulposus cells, intervertebral disc degeneration, CXCR4, Inflammation