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Tang G, Han X, Lin Z, Qian H, Chen B, Zhou C, Chen Y, Jiang W. Propionibacterium acnes Accelerates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Inducing Pyroptosis of Nucleus Pulposus Cells via the ROS-NLRP3 Pathway. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:4657014. [PMID: 33603947 PMCID: PMC7870295 DOI: 10.1155/2021/4657014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Our previous study verified the occurrence of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), a low-virulence anaerobic bacterium, latently residing in degenerated intervertebral discs (IVDs), and the infection had a strong association with IVD degeneration. We explored whether P. acnes induces nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) pyroptosis, a more dangerous cell death process than apoptosis, and accelerates IVD degeneration via the pyroptotic products interleukin- (IL-) 1β and IL-18. After coculturing with P. acnes, human NPCs showed significant upregulation of NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3), cleaved IL-1β, cleaved caspase-1, and cleaved gasdermin D in response to the overexpression of IL-1β and IL-18 in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In addition, the gene expression of inflammatory factors and catabolic enzymes significantly increased in normal NPCs when cocultured with pyroptotic NPCs in a transwell system, and the adverse effects were inhibited when NPC pyroptosis was suppressed. Furthermore, inoculation of P. acnes into the IVDs of rats caused significant pyroptosis of NPCs and remarkable IVD degeneration. Finally, coculture of NPCs with P. acnes induced the overexpression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NLRP3, while inhibition of both factors reduced NPC pyroptosis. Therefore, P. acnes induces NPC pyroptosis via the ROS-NLRP3 signaling pathway, and the pyroptotic NPCs cause an IVD degeneration cascade. Targeting the P. acnes-induced pyroptosis of NPCs may become an alternative treatment strategy for IVD degeneration in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqing Tang
- Orthopedic Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, China
- Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan 215300, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
| | - Xiaoguang Han
- Department of Spine Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing 100035, China
| | - Zhijie Lin
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-coding RNA Research, Yangzhou 225001, China
| | - Hongbin Qian
- Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan 215300, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
| | - Bing Chen
- Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan 215300, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
| | - Chengliang Zhou
- Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan 215300, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan 215300, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
| | - Weimin Jiang
- Orthopedic Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, China
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