Drp1 mediates compression-induced programmed necrosis of rat nucleus pulposus cells by promoting mitochondrial translocation of p53 and nuclear translocation of AIF

Compression-induced programmed cell death of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells is an important contributor to intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), a crucial mitochondrial fission protein, triggers programmed necrosis upon cellular injury. However, limited information is available about the role of Drp1 in compression-induced programmed necrosis of NP cells. In the present study, we found that compression resulted in upregulation and mitochondrial translocation of Drp1. Inhibition of Drp1 by siRNA or mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (mdivi-1) effectively prevented the programmed necrosis of NP cells treated with compression. Furthermore, Drp1 promoted mitochondrial translocation of p53 and nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) in compression-treated NP cells. Inhibition of p53 mitochondrial translocation by pifithrin-μ (PFT-μ) and silencing of AIF expression by siRNA significantly alleviated compression-induced NP cell programmed necrosis. These data indicates that Drp1 mediates compression-induced programmed necrosis of NP cells by promoting mitochondrial translocation of p53 and nuclear translocation of AIF. - Highlights: • Compression increases the expression and mitochondrial translocation of Drp1 in NP cells. • Inhibition of Drp1 protects NP cells from compression-induced programmed necrosis. • p53 and AIF contribute to Drp1-mediated NP cell programmed necrosis.