Nucleus pulposus cells regulate macrophages in degenerated intervertebral discs via the integrated stress response-mediated CCL2/7-CCR2 signaling pathway.

ABSTRACT: Lower back pain (LBP), which is a primary cause of disability, is largely attributed to intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Macrophages (MΦs) in degenerated intervertebral discs (IVDs) form a chronic inflammatory microenvironment, but how MΦs are recruited to degenerative segments and transform into a proinflammatory phenotype remains unclear. We evaluated chemokine expression in degenerated nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) to clarify the role of NPCs in the establishment of an inflammatory microenvironment in IDD and explored the mechanisms. We found that the production of C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and C-C motif chemokine ligand 7 (CCL7) was significantly increased in NPCs under inflammatory conditions, and blocking CCL2/7 and their receptor, C-C chemokine receptor type 2(CCR2)

SUBMITTER: Tian S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10907345 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature