{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,8]],"date-time":"2025-03-08T05:26:47Z","timestamp":1741411607724,"version":"3.38.0"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"African Journals Online (AJOL)","issue":"4","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Afr H. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Fibrosis in the extracellular matrix of nucleus pulposus (NP) is associated with intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Both connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A are responsible for the pathological basis of NP fibrosis. Our study aims to verify the interaction between CTGF and VEGF-A in a vitro NP cell model.\r\nMethodology: Collected human NP tissues of different degeneration degree and isolated the NP cells from the non-degenerated NP tissues. Analysed the CTGF and VEGF-A gene expression in the naturally degenerated NP and IL-1\u03b2-induced degenerated NP cells. Additionally, interfered wit the CTGF and VEGF-A expression by exogenic protein treatment, siRNA transfection, or specific inhibitor. The expression of CTGF, VEGF-A, collagen I\/II\/III and aggrecan with protein or mRNA level was determined by immunological staining, western blotting and RT-PCR.\r\nResults: CTGF and VEGF-A highly expressed in the late-term of degeneration compared to the middle-term, and their expressions were synergistic. Upregulating one of CTGF and VEGF-A could induce the overexpression of the other one and collagen I\/III, but suppressed collagen II and aggrecan expression; Besides, the suppression of one of them could inhibited another and collagen I\/III expression.\r\nConclusions: CTGF and VEGF-A increase in late IVDD. Prevent NP fibrosis by suppressing their interaction.\r\nKeywords: Connective tissue growth factor; vascular endothelial growth factor -A; intervertebral disc; nucleus pulposus; fibrosis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4314\/ahs.v24i4.36","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,7]],"date-time":"2025-03-07T14:30:58Z","timestamp":1741357858000},"page":"276-285","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The interaction between CTGF and VEGF-A in the progression of intervertebral disc fibrosis"],"prefix":"10.4314","volume":"24","author":[{"given":"Wangbing","family":"Xu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jiqin","family":"Zhong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jianrong","family":"Jian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Faming","family":"Zhong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"2895","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,11]]},"container-title":["African Health Sciences"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ajol.info\/index.php\/ahs\/article\/download\/286239\/269678","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ajol.info\/index.php\/ahs\/article\/download\/286239\/269678","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,7]],"date-time":"2025-03-07T14:31:36Z","timestamp":1741357896000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ajol.info\/index.php\/ahs\/article\/view\/286239"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,11]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,11]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4314\/ahs.v24i4.36","relation":{},"ISSN":["1729-0503","1680-6905"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1729-0503","type":"electronic"},{"value":"1680-6905","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,11]]}}}