Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist deficient mice provide insights into pathogenesis of human intervertebral disc degeneration.

Objectives: Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is potentially important in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration; increasing production of matrix degradation enzymes and inhibiting matrix synthesis. Although IL-1 polymorphisms have been linked to increased risk of IVD degeneration, it is still unclear whether IL-1 drives IVD degeneration in vivo or is a secondary feature of degeneration. Here, we investigated whether IVD degeneration could be induced spontaneously by the removal of the natural inhibitor of IL-1 (IL-1 receptor antagonist) in mice that lack a functional IL-1rn gene.