Increased Expression of Prolyl Endopeptidase Induced by Oxidative Stress in Nucleus Pulposus Cells Aggravates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Figure 1

PREP is upregulated in degenerated intervertebral disc tissues. (a) Heat map of the associated genes in GSE146904. Red represents upregulation. Green represents downregulation. (b) KEGG pathway analysis showed the changed function of PI3K-AKT pathway in GSE146904. (c) Go enrichment analysis of GSE146904. (d) Heat map of the associated genes in GSE167931. Red represents upregulation while green represents downregulation. (e) KEGG pathway analysis of GSE167931. (f) Go enrichment analysis of GSE167931. (g) Representative MRI of human spine graded by the Pfirrmann system. (h) The expression of PREP in human NP tissues was analyzed by qRT-PCR. Results are shown as , , . (i) Immunohistochemical staining of PREP in human NP tissues with different degrees of degeneration. Scale bar, 50 μm. (j) Quantitative of PREP positive cells. (k) Western blotting analysis of PREP in human NP tissues with different degrees of degeneration.

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