Abstract
Mechanical overloading-induced nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) apoptosis plays a core role in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration. In this study, we investigated the involvement of mammalian silent information regulator 2 homolog (SIRT1) in NPC apoptosis under high-magnitude compression. Our results showed that high-magnitude compression aggravated cellular apoptosis and attenuated the expression levels of SIRT1 and microtubule-associated protein-1 light chain-3B (LC3B) in rat NPCs in a three-dimensional (3D) cell culture model and an in vivo rat tail compression model, whereas SIRT1 overexpression in NPCs partially reversed these indicators. Moreover, SIRT1 overexpression increased the formation of the LC3B/Fas complex, alleviated activation of the NF-κB pathway, and reduced NPC apoptosis. Finally, downregulation of LC3B partially activated the NF-κB pathway and aggravated NPC apoptosis. Overall, upregulation of SIRT1 increases formation of the LC3B/Fas complex, which contributes to suppression of NPC apoptosis by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway under high compressive stress.