Quercetin Alleviates Hyperglycemic-Generated Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Contacted Apoptosis of Rat Nucleus Pulposus Cells.

BACKGROUND

Previous research has shown that apoptosis of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells contributes to intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) progression. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a reaction to diverse stimuli in eukaryotes and is tightly contacted with apoptosis. Quercetin, a naturally occurring flavonoid, exerts protective effects against degenerative diseases via ER stress. However, the effect of quercetin on NP cell apoptosis remains unclear.

AIMS

To investigate the influences of quercetin on apoptosis and ER stress in a high-glucose-generated primary NP cell model.

STUDY DESIGN

In vivo animal experimental study.

METHODS

To investigate the influence of quercetin in a high-glucose-generated NP cell apoptosis model, control, glucose, and glucose + quercetin groups adopted with Sprague-Dawley rats primary NP cells. In the glucose group, cell apoptosis was generated by 200 mm high glucose. In the glucose + quercetin group, 60 μm quercetin was pretreated with NP cells for 2 h before glucose administration. In this research, we examined the change effect of quercetin on NP cell apoptosis, ER stress, and the protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK)-eukaryotic translation initiation element 2α (eIF2α)-activating transcription element 4 (ATF4).

RESULTS

High glucose decreased the viability and induced ER stress-related apoptosis in NP cells. Quercetin modulated ER stress through the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway, thereby alleviating the apoptosis rank in NP cells.

CONCLUSION

Quercetin exerts antiapoptotic effects on NP cells, probably through ER stress, thereby showcasing potential as a therapeutic method for treating IDD.