Reactive Oxygen Species Mediate Low Back Pain by Upregulating Substance P in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Figure 2

Increased ROS levels determined the severity of LBP in rats. (a) Immunofluorescence analysis of DHE suggested an increase in ROS after puncture of IVD with an 18-gauge needle. (b, c) Administration of H₂O₂ after puncture of IVDs resulted in much more severe LBP, indicating a decrease in the mechanical allodynia threshold and an increase in the cold allodynia threshold when compared with those of the puncture + saline group. (d, e) Administration of NAC (a classical antioxidant) significantly alleviated LBP in rats, suggesting an increase in the mechanical allodynia threshold and a decrease in the cold allodynia threshold compared with those of the puncture + saline group. (f) The timeline of drug delivery and behavioral testing for all groups (The data are shown as the . for each group. <0.001 for comparisons between the sham surgery group and the puncture + saline group. + <0.05, ++ <0.01, and +++<0.001 for comparisons between the puncture + saline group and the puncture + H₂O₂ group or between the puncture + saline group and the puncture + NAC group. Two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s multiple comparison test were used for statistical analysis).

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