Figure 3 | Scientific Reports

Figure 3

From: Aberrant spinal mechanical loading stress triggers intervertebral disc degeneration by inducing pyroptosis and nerve ingrowth

Figure 3

Aberrant mechanical stress resulted in matrix composition changes in the intervertebral disc. (a) Immunostaining for Aggrecan in the IVD (brown) at 4-, 8-W post-surgery. Hematoxylin stains nuclei purple. Black arrowheads indicate low expression of Aggrecan in AF. (b) Immunostaining for Adamts5 in the AF (brown) at 4-, 8-W post-surgery. Black arrowheads indicate the high expression of Aggrecan in AF. (c) qPCR analysis for Aggrecan mRNA in the IVD at 1-, 2- and 4-W post-surgery. (d) Quantification of Aggrecan expression in IVD of (a). (e) Quantification of Adamts5 expression in IVD of (b). (f) Immunostaining for Col2 and MMP3 (brown) at 8-W post-surgery. Black arrowheads indicate low expression of Col2 in EP or high expression of Mmp3 in EP. (g) Quantification of Col2 and Mmp3 expression in EP region of (e). The averages of integrated optical density in interest region was calculated by Image-Pro Plus software version 6.0 (https://www.mediacy.com). Data are shown as mean ± sem. Three independent experiments were performed in triplicate. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 compared to Sham group.

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