Composition and copper binding properties of aquatic fulvic acids in eutrophic Taihu Lake, China

Fulvic acid (FA) plays a significant role in biogenic-elemental cycling in aquatic ecosystems which is highly dependent on their organic composition. In this study, the aquatic FA contents and binding properties during bloom and non-bloom periods in Taihu Lake were investigated by two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (2D-COS-FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and elemental analysis. Compared with non-bloom FA, bloom FA was of lower nitrogen content and higher C/N ratio. It contained more carboxylic and aliphatic groups while less amide groups. 2D-COS-FTIR spectra evidenced the carboxyl groups in bloom FA had the fastest response to Cu(II) binding. Also, polysaccharide in bloom FA was more susceptive to Cu(II) concentrations than that in non-bloom FA. While comparing with bloom FA, the N-rich organic compounds in non-bloom FA exhibited faster binding sequence with Cu(II). A comprehensive scheme about the interaction process of FA-Cu(II) showed that both nitrogenous and oxygenic groups in FAs were active in binding to Cu(II). The alteration in binding behaviors of organic groups in FAs to Cu(II) may have been driven by algal products and microbial community variety in Taihu Lake. Our results here have the potential to contribute significantly to future studies of dissolved organic matter dynamic biogeochemistry processes and trace metal cycling processes in eutrophic lakes.

The function of myostatin in the regulation of fat mass in mammals

Myostatin (MSTN), also referred to as growth and differentiation factor-8, is a protein secreted in muscle tissues. Researchers believe that its primary function is in negatively regulating muscle because a mutation in its coding region can lead to the famous double muscle trait in cattle. Muscle and adipose tissue develop from the same mesenchymal stem cells, and researchers have found that MSTN is expressed in fat tissues and plays a key role in adipogenesis. Interestingly, MSTN can exert a dual function, either inhibiting or promoting adipogenesis, according to the situation. Due to its potential function in controlling body fat mass, MSTN has attracted the interest of researchers. In this review, we explore its function in regulating adipogenesis in mammals, including preadipocytes, multipotent stem cells and fat mass.

Strong Adlayer-Substrate Interactions "Break" the Patching Growth of h-BN onto Graphene on Re(0001)

Hetero-epitaxial growth of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) from the edges of graphene domains or vice versa has been widely observed during synthesis of in-plane heterostructures of h-BN-G on Rh(111), Ir(111), and even Cu foil. We report that on a strongly coupled Re(0001) substrate via a similar two-step sequential growth strategy, h-BN preferably nucleated on the edges of Re(0001) steps rather than on the edges of existing graphene domains. Statistically, one-third of the domain boundaries of graphene and h-BN were patched seamlessly, and the others were characterized by obvious "defect lines" when the total coverage approached a full monolayer. This imperfect merging behavior can be explained by translational misalignment and lattice mismatch of the resulting separated component domains. According to density functional theory calculations, this coexisting patching and non-patching growth behavior was radically mediated by the strong adlayer-substrate (A-S) interactions, as well as the disparate formation energies of the attachment of B-N pairs or B-N lines along the edges of the Re(0001) steps versus the graphene domains. This work will be of fundamental significance for the controllable synthesis of in-plane heterostructures constructed from two-dimensional layered materials with consideration of A-S interactions.

Preparation and Properties of Novel Polymer Blue Fluorescent Materials

The pyrazoline was chosen as the luminescent functional group, and then four kinds of new polyamide polymer blue fluorescent materials were designed and synthesized. The structures of them were confirmed by using NMR (H 1NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Furthermore, liquid and solid film fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of the compounds were measured, and three polymers J1, J2 and J3 showed good fluorescence properties. The polymeric materials showed good film capacity, low cost and good thermal stability, and are expected to be widely applied in electroluminescent devices.

Dual-functional lipid-like nanoparticles for delivery of mRNA and MRI contrast agents

Multi-functional nanomaterials possess unique properties, facilitating both therapeutic and diagnostic applications among others. Herein, we developed dual-functional lipid-like nanoparticles for simultaneous delivery of mRNA and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents in order to express functional proteins and provide real-time visualization. TT3-Gd18 LLNs were identified as a lead formulation, which was able to encapsulate 91% of mRNA and 74% of Gd. This formulation showed a comparable or a slightly higher delivery efficiency of mRNA compared to the initial TT3 LLNs. Moreover, a strong MRI signal was observed in the cell pellets treated with TT3-Gd18 LLNs. More importantly, TT3-Gd18 LLNs demonstrated an efficient delivery of mRNA and Gd contrast agents in vivo.

Isotope exchange reaction in tritium-contaminated vacuum pump oil: mechanism and HTO effect

HTO is not only a reactant, but also acts as the proton shuttle in the transition state.

Higher Expression of NOD1 and NOD2 is Associated with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) Syndrome But Not Behcet's Disease (BD)

NOD1 and NOD2 have been found to play a significant regulatory role in autoimmune disease. To analyze the role of NOD1 and NOD2 in the pathogenesis of Vogt- Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome and Behcet's disease (BD). We analyzed the expression of NOD1 and NOD2 from PBMCs by RT-PCR and Western Blot. PBMCs and DCs were cultured with NOD receptor ligands iE-DAP (NOD1) or MDP (NOD2) and cells and supernatants were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). DCs and CD4+T cells were co-cultured with or without stimulation and cells and supernatants were analyzed by FCM and ELISA. A higher expression of NOD1 and NOD2 was observed in patients with active VKH syndrome as compared with controls. However, no significant differences were found between BD patients and controls. Activation of NOD1 and NOD2 with iE-DAP or MDP markedly increased the level of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β in PBMCs and DCs and induced the expression of CD40, CD80, CD83, CD86 and HLA-DR on DCs. Activation of NOD1 and NOD2 in DCs promoted the differentiation and proliferation of CD4(+)T cells. In conclusion, activation of NOD1 or NOD2 increased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in PBMCs and promoted the maturation and activation of human DCs in association with stimulation of Th1 and Th17 cells. Our results suggest that over-expression of NOD1 and NOD2 may be involved in the pathogenesis of VKH syndrome.

Graphene Encapsulated Copper Microwires as Highly MRI Compatible Neural Electrodes

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatible neural electrodes are important for combining high-resolution electrophysiological measurements with more global MRI mapping of brain activity, which is critical for fundamental neuroscience studies, as well as clinical evaluation and monitoring. Copper is a favorable material to use in MRI because it has magnetic susceptibility close to water and tissues. However, the cytotoxicity of copper precludes its direct implantation for neural recording. Here, we overcome this limitation by developing a graphene encapsulated copper (G-Cu) microelectrode. The toxicity of copper is largely eliminated, as evidenced by the in vitro cell tests and in vivo histology studies. Local field potentials and single-unit spikes were recorded from rodent brains with the G-Cu microelectrodes. Notably, the G-Cu microelectrodes show no image artifacts in a 7.0 T MRI scanner, indicating minimal magnetic field distortion in their vicinity. This high MRI compatibility of our G-Cu probes would open up new opportunities for fundamental brain activity studies and clinical applications requiring continuous MRI and electrophysiological recordings.

Chemically Engineered Substrates for Patternable Growth of Two-Dimensional Chalcogenide Crystals

The key challenge of direct integration of two-dimensional (2D) chalcogenide crystals into functional modules is precise control of the nucleation sites of the building blocks. Herein, we exploit the chemical activities and surface engineering of the substrates to manipulate the nucleation energy barrier of 2D crystals and thereby realize the patternable growth of 2D crystals. The selective-region chemical modifications of the substrates are achieved via microcontact printing combined with the elegant self-assembly of octadecyltrichlorosilane molecules on the substrates. The patternable growth method is versatile and can be used as a general strategy for growing a broad class of high-quality 2D chalcogenide crystals with tailorable configurations on a variety of chemically engineered substrates. Moreover, we demonstrate flexible transparent electrodes based on large-scale patterned nanogrids of topological insulator Bi₂Se₃, which possess tailored trade-off between electric conductivity and optical transmittance across the visible to near-infrared regime. We hope this method may open an avenue to the efficient integration and batch production of 2D chalcogenide crystals and could inspire ongoing efforts of the fabrication of van der Waals heterostructures.

The upgrade of the Thomson scattering system for measurement on the C-2/C-2U devices

The C-2/C-2U Thomson scattering system has been substantially upgraded during the latter phase of C-2/C-2U program. A Rayleigh channel has been added to each of the three polychromators of the C-2/C-2U Thomson scattering system. Onsite spectral calibration has been applied to avoid the issue of different channel responses at different spots on the photomultiplier tube surface. With the added Rayleigh channel, the absolute intensity response of the system is calibrated with Rayleigh scattering in argon gas from 0.1 to 4 Torr, where the Rayleigh scattering signal is comparable to the Thomson scattering signal at electron densities from 1 × 10¹³ to 4 × 10¹⁴ cm^-3. A new signal processing algorithm, using a maximum likelihood method and including detailed analysis of different noise contributions within the system, has been developed to obtain electron temperature and density profiles. The system setup, spectral and intensity calibration procedure and its outcome, data analysis, and the results of electron temperature/density profile measurements will be presented.

Safety and immunogenicity of 3 seasonal trivalent influenza vaccines in the Chinese military

Influenza, caused by the influenza virus, is a contagious acute viral respiratory disease with a high incidence rate and wide and rapid spread. Influenza-related morbidity, mortality, and hospitalization rates remain high and are increasing continuously in high-risk groups, with a significant impact on human health and the economy. In order to evaluate the immunogenicity of 3 seasonal trivalent influenza vaccines in Chinese military, we conducted this field trial. We assessed the safety and immunogenicity of 3 seasonal trivalent influenza vaccines(TIVs)manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline(GSK), Beijing Sinovac Biotech (Sinovac), and Shenzhen Sanofi Pasteur (Pasteur) in healthy Chinese servicemen. We used theimported GSKTIV as the control, comparing it with the 2 domestic TIVs in a 1:1:1randomized, double-blind, controlled trial in a military command in Beijing. Healthy individuals, aged between 18 and 34 years, who had not received any influenza vaccine in the preceding3 years were enrolled and administered one dose of a TIV. Safety data were collected throughout the whole study (day 0 to day 30). Blood samples were collected to assess the subjects' immunogenicity before vaccination and 21 d after vaccination. In total, 292 subjects enrolled in the study. Twelve participants (4.1%) reported 12 adverse events. The incidence of adverse events was 1%, 5%, and7% for the GSK, Sinovac, and Pasteur TIVs, respectively. The reported injection-site reaction frequencies were similar for all 3 TIVs (p = 0.217). However, the proportion of systemic reactions was higher after the GSKTIV than after the Pasteur or Sinovac TIV (7.1% vs 3.1% or1%, respectively; p = 0.020). Three TIVs satisfied both the European and US Food and Drug Administration criteria for H1N1-179, H1N1-74, H3N2, and B strains based on the post vaccination sero-protection, the sero-conversion rate, and the geometric mean titer ratio. The Sinovac TIV, Pasteur TIV, and GSK TIV were well tolerated and immunogenic in healthy servicemen in the military. There was no significant difference in the immunogenicity of these 3 vaccines.

Surface Monocrystallization of Copper Foil for Fast Growth of Large Single-Crystal Graphene under Free Molecular Flow

Wafer-sized single-crystalline Cu (100) surface can be readily achieved on stacked polycrystalline Cu foils via simple oxygen chemisorption-induced reconstruction, enabling fast growth of large-scale millimeter-sized single-crystalline graphene arrays under molecular flow. The maximum growth rate can reach 300 μm min^-1 , several orders of magnitude higher than previously reported values for millimeter-sized single-crystalline graphene growth on Cu foils.

[Effect of Nutrient Cycles in Tributaries on the Transport of Nutrient in the Three Gorge Reservoirs:A Case Study of Caotang River]

Backwater regions have been formed in the downstream of tributaries since the Three Gorge Reservoir (TGR) was impounded, as the most influential area to the aquatic environment within the reservoir. In order to study the effects and significance of the backwater regions on the nutrient cycling and substance fluxes, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), dissolved silicon (DSi) were monitored in situ in Caotang tributary backwater region, the adjacent mainstream and Caotang tributaries' upstream every month from August 2012 to July 2013. The results showed that the concentrations of DIN, DIP and DSi in Caotang tributary backwater region were similar to those in the mainstream, and the monthly variation tendency was very consistent with the mainstream Changjiang. DIN, DIP and DSi in the Caotang tributary were mainly originated from the mainstream. The influence of the mainstream water could extend to the upmost of the backwater region due to the good connection and rapid, sufficient water exchange between mainstream and tributary. Nutrients from the mainstream were retained and consumed by primary producers in the tributary during the growing seasons in spring and summer, while released back to the water during late autumn and winter. Nutrient cycling in the tributary could change the seasonal pattern of nutrient transportation. The mainstream nutrient fluxes could receive significant seasonal modification from the large numbers (more than 40) of tributaries within the TGR domain.

[The Research of Vegetation Water Content Based on Spectrum Analysis and Angle Slope Index]

Vegetation water content is an important indicator of vegetal state, and a vital parameter of studying agriculture, ecological and hydrological. The diagnosis of vegetation water content has great significance for forest fire forecast and natural vegetation drought condition monitoring. The correlation analysis of the vegetation spectral reflectance and vegetation water content shows that the relativity between the spectral reflectance of different wavelengths and the vegetation water content varies considerably. The spectral reflectance of red band of visible light (620～700 nm) and the near-infrared band(800～1 350, 1 600～1 950, 2 200～2 400 nm) had a higher correlation with the vegetation water content. The slope angle indexes were used as parameters for estimating the vegetation water content based on analyzing the relation between the slope angle indexes and vegetation water content. An evaluation model of vegetation water content was set up by utilizing statistical linear regression model method. The band of 660, 850, 1 630, 2 200 nm were selected as RED, NIR, SWIR1 and SWIR2 band value of the slope angle index based on the analysis of the correlation between spectral reflectance and vegetation water content. A large amount of vegetation spectral information and vegetation water content were collected in the study area(the upstream of Minjiang River), and the linear regression model of the slope angle index (SANI, SASI, ANIR) and vegetation water content (FMC) was build. The linear regression model of ANIR and FMC has the highest of linear fitting and the linearity is up to 0.791. The near infrared angle index(ANIR)was improved on the basis of the analysis the linear regression results of angle slope vegetation index and water content. Near infrared angle normalized index (NANI) and near infrared angle slope index (NASI) were defined, and the linear regression model was established. Compared with the slope angle index (SANI, SASI, ANIR) which were proposed by Palacios-Orueta, NANI had more advantages in the vegetation water content inversion in the study area. The determination coefficient (R2) of the inversion model increased from 0.791 to 0.853, and root-mean-square error (RMSE) reduced from 0.047 to 0.039. Angle slope index had higher linear fitting and estimation accuracy by improving the angle of slope index. NANI and FMC linear regression model was established to estimate the vegetation water content in the study area. In this paper, the main innovation point is that the slope angle index NANI and NASI has been proposed on the basis of predecessors’ research results, and the improved angle slope index has higher linear fitting and estimation accuracy compared with SANI, SASI, ANIR.

Low-Temperature Growth of Two-Dimensional Layered Chalcogenide Crystals on Liquid

The growth of high-quality two-dimensional (2D) layered chalcogenide crystals is highly important for practical applications in future electronics, optoelectronics, and photonics. Current route for the synthesis of 2D chalcogenide crystals by vapor deposition method mainly involves an energy intensive high-temperature growth process on solid substrates, often suffering from inhomogeneous nucleation density and grain size distribution. Here, we first demonstrate a facile vapor-phase synthesis of large-area high-quality 2D layered chalcogenide crystals on liquid metal surface with relatively low surface energy at a growth temperature as low as ∼100 °C. Uniform and large-domain-sized 2D crystals of GaSe and GaxIn1-xSe were grown on liquid metal surface even supported on a polyimide film. As-grown 2D GaSe crystals have been fabricated to flexible photodetectors, showing high photoresponse and excellent flexibility. Our strategy of energy-sustainable low-temperature growth on liquid metal surface may open a route to the synthesis of high-quality 2D crystals of Ga-, In-, Bi-, Hg-, Pb-, or Sn-based chalcogenides and halides.

Association Analysis of Myosin Heavy-chain Genes mRNA Transcription with the Corresponding Proteins Expression of Longissimus Muscle in Growing Pigs

The goal of this work was to investigate the correlations between MyHC mRNA transcription and their corresponding protein expressions in porcine longissimus muscle (LM) during postnatal growth of pigs. Five DLY (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire) crossbred pigs were selected, slaughtered and sampled at postnatal 7, 30, 60, 120, and 180 days, respectively. Each muscle was subjected to quantity MyHCs protein contents through an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), to quantity myosin heavy-chains (MyHCs) mRNA abundances using real-time polymerase chain reaction. We calculated the proportion (%) of each MyHC to total of four MyHC for two levels, respectively. Moreover, the activities of several key energy metabolism enzymes were determined in LM. The result showed that mRNA transcription and protein expression of MyHC I, IIa, IIx and IIb in LM all presented some obvious changes with postnatal aging of pigs, especially at the early stage after birth, and their mRNA transcriptions were easy to be influenced than their protein expressions. The relative proportion of each MyHC mRNA was significantly positively related to that of its corresponding protein (p<0.01), and MyHC I mRNA proportion was positively correlated with creatine kinase (CK), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activities (p<0.05). These data suggested that MyHC mRNA transcription can be used to reflect MyHC expression, metabolism property and adaptive plasticity of porcine skeletal muscles, and MyHC mRNA composition could be a molecular index reflecting muscle fiber type characteristics.

MyoD promotes porcine PPARγ gene expression through an E-box and a MyoD-binding site in the PPARγ promoter region

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a key transcription factor in adipogenesis and can be regulated by adipogenesis-related factors. However, little information is available regarding its regulation by myogenic factors. In this study, we found that over-expression of MyoD enhanced porcine adipocyte differentiation and up-regulated PPARγ expression, whereas small interfering RNA against MyoD significantly attenuated porcine adipocyte differentiation and inhibited PPARγ expression. The MyoD-binding sites in the PPARγ promoter region at -412 to -396 and -155 to -150 were identified by promoter deletion analysis and site-directed mutagenesis. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation further showed that these two regions are MyoD-binding sites, both in vitro and in vivo, indicating that MyoD directly interacts with the porcine PPARγ promoter. Thus, our results demonstrate that an Enhancer box and a binding site for a cooperative co-activator of MyoD are present in the promoter region of porcine PPARγ; furthermore, MyoD up-regulates PPARγ expression and promotes porcine adipocyte differentiation.

Abstract P4-03-04: Dynamic tomographic optical breast imaging (TOBI) for neoadjuvant chemotherapy monitoring

Background: Dynamic Diffuse optical imaging using near-infrared light was shown to be promising method for neoadjuvant therapy monitoring as an alternative functional imaging that is low-cost, non-invasive, portable, safe and simple to operate. While optical breast imaging methods rely on "static" assessments of tissue oxy- and deoxy- hemoglobin concentration without contrast agents, they are insufficient for clinical applications. Dynamic tomographic optical imaging induces tumor-sensitive hemodynamic variations, as a contrast mechanism, driven by fractional mammographic compression. These tumor contrast measurements are governed by interlay of tissue biomechanics and oxygen metabolism. In this study we seek to evaluate the predictive value of these biomarkers with respect to treatment outcome.

Methods: A group of 22 patients with locally advanced breast cancer were scanned using our dynamic TOBI system before and during neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In this analysis we focused on pre-treatment, day 7 and day 30 post-treatment dynamic TOBI scans. Both breasts are compressed in turn to 4-8 lbs of force (depending on size) and optical images are acquired every 2 seconds over 2 minutes. We calculate the time course of oxy (HbO), deoxy (HbR)and total (HbT) hemoglobin concentration as well as the hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SO2). Regions of interest are defined in the optical images to correspond to the radiology identified tumor location, and the healthy tissue in the same breast, respectively. We compare the time courses in the two regions at baseline, day 7 and 30 days after initiation of treatment.

Results: In this analysis we present results from 10 patients including 6 responders (defined as greater than 50% reduction in the largest tumor axis from baseline imaging and final pathology) and 4 non-responders. As the compression plates are held in place the tissue collagen matrix begins to stretch, effectively reducing the compression force. At baseline, all patients exhibit a decrease followed by delayed recovery in HbT, and SO2 in the tumor area, in contrast to immediate recovery in surrounding tissue. At day 7 and 30, this contrast is maintained in non-responders (&lt;50% reduction in tumor maximum diameter); however, in responders, the contrast starts decreasing at day 7 and substantially disappears at day 30. Average changes in HbT and SO2, show that the contrast between normal and tumor increases somewhat at day 7 and more noticeably at day 30 in non-responders to NACT. Comparing hemodynamic changes in responders and non-responders, it is clear that at three selected time points (30, 60 and 90 s) during the scan, the contrast between tumor and normal tissue in both ΔHbT and ΔSO2 is reduced for the responders at day 7 and day 30.

Conclusions: These initial results suggest that dynamic optical breast imaging can detect changes due to treatment and have predictive value for the treatment outcome. DTOBI can show the difference in hemodynamic response to compression between tumor and normal tissue and demonstrates the feasibility of using dynamic optical breast tomography for neoadjuvant chemotherapy monitoring. ongoing.

Citation Format: Sajjadi AY, Singh B, Deng B, Boas DA, Moy B, Schapira L, Bardia A, Specht MC, Carp SA, Isakoff SJ. Dynamic tomographic optical breast imaging (TOBI) for neoadjuvant chemotherapy monitoring. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-03-04.

Transcription factor C/EBPβ promotes the transcription of the porcine GPR120 gene

G protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120), an adipogenic receptor critical for the differentiation and maturation of adipocytes, plays an important role in controlling obesity in both humans and rodents and, thus, is an attractive target of obesity treatment studies. However, the mechanisms that regulate the expression of porcine GPR120 remain unclear. In this study, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) techniques were used to analyze and identify the binding of C/EBPβ (transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta) to the GPR120 promoter. C/EBPβ overexpression and RNA interference studies showed that C/EBPβ regulated GPR120 promoter activity and endogenous GPR120 expression. The binding site of C/EBPβ in the GPR120 promoter region from -101 to -87 was identified by promoter deletion analysis and site-directed mutagenesis. Overexpression of C/EBPβ increased endogenous GPR120 expression in pig kidney cells (PK). Furthermore, when endogenous C/EBPβ was knocked down, GPR120 mRNA and protein levels were decreased. The stimulatory effect of C/EBPβ on GPR120 transcription and its ability to bind the transcription factor-binding site were confirmed by luciferase, ChIP, and EMSA. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expression levels of C/EBPβ were induced by high fat diet feeding. Taken together, it can be concluded that C/EBPβ plays a vital role in regulating GPR120 transcription and suggests HFD-feeding induces GPR120 transcription by influencing C/EBPβ expression.

Expression profiles of MMP-1 and TIMP-1 in lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration

Lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a common clinical pathology and has become a focus for research in recent years. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are enzymes responsible for the degradation of almost all extracellular matrix proteins (ECM). The over-expression of MMPs or tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) may disrupt the dynamic balance of the ECM. Therefore, in the current study, the expression levels of MMP-1 and TIMP-1 in lumbar IDD patients were evaluated in an attempt to elucidate their role in IDD pathogenesis and progression. In total, 60 IDD patients were recruited as the experimental group, along with 20 cases of lumbar vertebral injury without disc degeneration as the control group. Preoperative venous blood samples were collected, and intervertebral disc tissues were collected from the lesion during surgery. Serum and tissue levels of MMP-1 and TIMP-1 were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Serum and tissue MMP-1 levels in IDD patients were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, sub-group analysis revealed that severe IDD patients had higher MMP-1 levels compared with mild or moderate IDD patients (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in TIMP- 1 levels in either the serum or tissues of IDD patients compared to patients in the control group (P > 0.05). These results demonstrate that MMP-1 expression is increased in IDD, with higher expression observed in more severe cases, whereas TIMP-1 expression was similarly expressed in both normal and degenerated discs.