CD163 and intervertebral disk degenerative disorder: DNMT1 silencing in macrophages (M0) co-cultured with NPCs caused a decrease in the expression of M1 macrophage-specific markers (iNOS and TNF-α), which indicates a reduction in the expression of inflammatory cytokines and promotion of the expression of M2 macrophage-specific markers (CD163, Arg-1, and MR), which could subsequently delay the progression of IDD changes.