# The mechanism of B-catenin-induced Disc Degeneration

> **NIH NIH R03** · RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $78,500

## Abstract

Project Summary
 We have found that β-catenin protein is highly up-regulated in disc tissues derived from patients with disc
degeneration and have created a β-catenin conditional activation mouse model which displays severe defects
in disc tissue morphology and pain. β-catenin plays a key role in the development of disc degeneration and one
of the key signaling mechanisms is to activate Runx2 expression which subsequently regulates Mmp13
expression in Col2-expressing cells in disc tissue. In this study, we will determine the role of Runx2 and CCL2
in β-catenin-induced disc degeneration

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9843625
- **Project number:** 5R03AG061460-02
- **Recipient organization:** RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Chundo Oh
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $78,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-01-01 → 2021-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9843625

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9843625, The mechanism of B-catenin-induced Disc Degeneration (5R03AG061460-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9843625. Licensed CC0.

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