TGF-β1 suppresses syndecan-2 expression through the ERK signaling pathway in nucleus pulposus cells.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the main cause of low back pain and has become a worldwide problem causing enormous economic loss. Thus, mechanisms and treatment of IVDD are attracting great attention from surgeons and physicians. The syndecan (SDC) family has been reported to play important roles in various physiopathologic processes. In this study, we found that SDC2 expression levels were positively correlated with IVDD grades in human samples. Moreover, we demonstrated that transforming growth factor-β1 inhibited SDC2 expression through ERK1/2 signaling pathway activation in nucleus pulposus cells. Knocking down SDC2 in disc cells significantly suppressed aggrecanase-1 and aggrecanase-2 expression. The results of our study indicate that SDC2 may be a therapeutic target through which extracellular matrix degradation of IVDD can be controlled.