Additionally, BMP2 treatment significantly upregulated the levels of collagen II, aggrecan and SOX9, but downregulated the levels of MMP‑13 and CTX‑II in IDD rats and NP cells in a dose‑dependent manner.
Immunohistochemistry staining demonstrated that the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and MMP-13 were increased in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc disease.