Fig. 6

Atf3 expression is up-regulated in ferroptosis NP cells subsets of rat IVDs. A Heat map shows the expression levels of 15 ferroptosis-related genes in NP cell subsets of 10 and 20M-old rats. B The expression of ferroptosis-related genes in notochord NP cells of 10 and 20M-old rat IVDs. C The proportion changes (up-regulated) of ferroptosis-related genes in notochord NP cells during IDD. D The expression of ferroptosis-related genes in chondrocyte-like NP cell subsets 0, 4, 7 and 8 of 10 and 20M-old rat IVDs. E The proportion changes (up-regulated) of ferroptosis-related genes in chondrocyte-like NP cell subsets 0, 4, 7 and 8 during IDD. F UMAP plot of Atf3 expression in NP cells from 10 and 20M-old rats. G Immunofluorescence staining of 10 and 20M-old rat tail IVD sections, with magnified representative images of NP tissue cells at right. Scale bars, 50 µm. n = 3. H-I The primary NP cells cultured in the three groups were incubated with PBS, DMSO or DMSO + Erastin for 24 h, respectively, and then the cells were collected. The mRNA expression levels of Atf3 (H) and Acsl4 (I) were detected by Real-Time PCR. Data are expressed as the mean ± SEM (n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, NS, no significance