Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of hypoxia on nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis in inflammatory environments.Methods Primary rat nucleus pulposus cells were cultured in vitro.Hypoxic intervention was performed using a hypoxic chamber,and the pro-inflammatory factor tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)was used to simulate the inflammatory environment.In order to determine the effect of hypoxia on nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis,flow cytometry and TUNEL staining were performed to detect the nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis,and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins was measured by Western blotting.Subsequently,the inflammatory response in nucleus pulposus cells in inflammatory environment was evaluated by real-time PCR and ELISA,and the NLRP3 inflammasome activation in nucleus pulposus cells was estimated through Western blotting.Finally,the NLRP3 inflammasome agonist QS-21 was used to clarify the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in hypoxia regulating nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis in inflammatory environments.Results Hypoxia significantly inhibited nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis in inflammatory environments while showing no effect on nucleus pulposus cells in normal conditions.When cultured in inflammatory conditions,the expression and secretion of inflammatory cytokines interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-8,and IL-18 by nucleus pulposus cells were increased,accompanied with NLRP3 inflammasome activation,while hypoxia intervention significantly alleviated those changes in nucleus pulposus cells.Rescue assay showed that NLRP3 inflammasome agonist QS-21 significantly weakened the inhibitory effect of hypoxia on nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis in inflammatory environment.Conclusion Hypoxia alleviates nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis in inflammatory environment by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
维普
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