In vitro findings were validated by in vivo experiments in a rat caudal puncture-induced IDD model, in which kinsenoside administration was shown to induce Nrf2 up-regulation and p16INK4a down-regulation, to increase MRI signal intensities and histological scores and to decrease Pfirrmann grades in comparison with the IDD group, revealing a partial abolishment of disc degeneration and tissue destruction [58]. Here, NFE2L2 is linked to intervertebral disk degenerative disorder.