ADAMTS4 and intervertebral disk degenerative disorder: ECM catabolic proteinases such as MMPs and A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTSs) are highly expressed in degenerative intervertebral disc tissue and cells, and have been linked to ECM degradation and IDD progression [25]; we therefore evaluated the expression of MMP3, MMP13, ADAMTS4, and ADAMTS5 in NP cells.