Nucleus pulposus related microRNA expression profiles in intervertebral disc degeneration

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is one of the leading causes of lower back pain and various degenerative spinal disorders and has been regarded as a public health issue because of its heavy social and economic consequences. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying IDD formation and progression are unclear thus far, and novel potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of IDD are urgently needed. In this study, we performed miRNA sequencing with nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues from IDD patients and predicted their target genes.