In the microarray assay, inspection of the common genes altered in grade II to IV IVD degenerative specimens revealed five EGF receptor ligand genes that were increased two-fold in NP cells (EGF, EPGN, EREG, AREG and TGFA) but only two genes in AF cells (EPGN and HBEGF) (Fig. 4A). Here, AREG is linked to atrial fibrillation.