Our data indicated that MA alleviates intra-and peri-disc matrix degradation and intervertebral disc inflammation (Fig. 9) by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling and NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis, thereby maintaining intra- and peri-disc microenvironment homeostatic and moderating intervertebral disc degeneration. Here, AKT1 is linked to Intervertebral disk degeneration.