Salvianolic Acid B Protects Intervertebral Discs from Oxidative Stress-Induced Degeneration via Activation of the JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathway

Figure 1

SAB reversed the reduced T2-weighed MR signal intensity induced by injury to IVDs and rescued the consequent disc degeneration in vivo. (a) MRI was used to detect changes in MR signal intensity of the Co8-9 discs in each group after 3 and 6 weeks. (b) Quantitative analysis demonstrated that a significant decrease of T2 signal intensity was found in injured IVDs. This decrease could be both reversed by treatment with SAB. (c) H&E staining displayed representative histopathological changes to IVDs in each group. IVDs in the control group exhibited a normal structure. In the IDD group, the border between the AF and NP was clearly disrupted, the NPCs becoming separated by extracellular proteoglycan matrix and the NP having almost disappeared. In the SAB IDD group, the characteristics of degeneration were largely reversed by treatment with SAB. (d) Induction of IDD resulted in significantly higher histological scores compared with the control group. SAB treatment significantly reduced the increased histological score. compared with the control group; ^# compared with the IDD group. SAB: salvianolic acid B; IDD: intervertebral disc degeneration; IVD: intervertebral disc; NP: nucleus pulposus; AF: annulus fibrosus; H&E: hematoxylin and eosin; S-O: Safranin-O Fast green; AB: alcian blue.

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