STING1 and infection: Thus, the SASP by NP cells undergoing senescence due to injury, aging, infection, etc. as well as the dysfunction of STING degradation mechanism which causes mtDNA and nDNA increase in cytoplasm coupled with the activation overexpression STING in IDD is likely a deterioration feedback mechanism that shapes the inflammatory microenvironment within the IVD that leads to onset proliferation arrest, senescence and apoptosis in senescent NP cells which progresses to IDD (Figure 9).