Consistent with Yurube’s study41, the upregulation of the expression of ECM catabolism enzymes (MMPs and ADAMTSs) and the downregulation of the expression of anabolism genes (ACAN, COL2A1, and SOX9) were observed in IDD in our compression-induced degeneration model. Here, COL2A1 is linked to intervertebral disk degenerative disorder.