Sheng and colleagues validated that ESR1 silencing or the decreased expression of ESR1 induced by miR-221 overexpression can weaken the protective effects of estrogen on IDD via inhibiting ECM synthesis, as well as elevating NPC apoptosis and IL-1β and TNF-α expression (Sheng et al., 2018). The gene discussed is ESR1; the disease is nasopharyngeal carcinoma.