World Neurosurg
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Cartilaginous endplate (CEP), a thin layer of hyaline cartilage located between the vertebral endplate and nucleus pulposus, transports the nutrient into the disc. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of T140 (polyphemusin II-derived peptide) on the CEP cell growth, apoptosis, and the matrix formation via the stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)/cysteine X cysteine (CXC) receptor-4 (CXCR4) signaling pathway. ⋯ T140 promotes the proliferation and matrix formation and inhibits the apoptosis of CEP cells by blocking the SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling pathway in vitro, which provides a certain therapeutic effect on the degeneration of intervertebral discs.