A pioneering study has revealed that increased stiffness in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of spinal discs impairs energy production in nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), a key factor in intervertebral ...

AMPK phosphorylates metabolic enzymes, transcription factors and co-activators that promote ATP-producing catabolic pathways and inhibit ATP-consuming biosynthetic pathways. It also inhibits cell ...

Furthermore, SOX9 deletion inhibited AMPK pathway activation, while SOX9 overexpression enhanced it. Notably, administration of an AMPK inhibitor negated the protective effects of SOX9 ...