MMP3 and intervertebral disk degenerative disorder: P38α and P38β play a critical role in inducing the release of GM‐CSF and IFNγ, which subsequently promote M1 polarization of macrophages, thereby exacerbating the inflammatory microenvironment in IDD.[7a] Moreover, degenerated NPCs activate the MAPK‐ERK and PI3K‐AKT pathways, thereby upregulating the expression of MCP‐1 and MMP‐3.