AF	annulus fibrosus
BDNF	brain-derived neurotrophic factor
CCL2	C-C motif chemokine ligand 2
CEP	cartilage endplate
CLBP	chronic low back pain
CXCL5	C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5
DD	disc degeneration
DDD	degenerative disc disease
ECM	extracellular matrix
EGF	epidermal growth factor
GDF-7	growth differentiation factor-7
GM-CSF	granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor
ICAM-1	intercellular adhesion molecule-1
IDO	indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase
IFN-γ	interferon-gamma
IGF-1	insulin-like growth factor-1
IL-1α	interleukin-1 alpha
IL-1β	interleukin-1 beta
IL-6	interleukin-6
IL-8	interleukin-8
IL-17	interleukin-17
IVD	intervertebral disc
IVDC	intervertebral disc cell
LBP	low back pain
MC	Modic changes
MC1	Modic type 1 changes
MC2	Modic type 2 changes
MC3	Modic type 3 changes
M-CSF	macrophage colony-stimulating factor
MRI	magnetic resonance imaging
MSC	mesenchymal stem cell
NGF	nerve growth factor
NO	nitric oxide
NP	nucleus pulposus
NPC	nucleus pulposus cell
NTRK1	neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase 1
OPG	osteoprotegerin
OP-1	osteogenic protein-1
OSCAR	osteoclast associated Ig-like receptor
PGE2	prostaglandin E2
PRP	platelet-rich plasma
RANKL	tumor necrosis superfamily member 11
RUNX1	runt-related transcription factor 1
RUNX2	runt-related transcription factor 2
TGF-β	transforming growth factor-beta
TNF-α	tumor necrosis factor-alpha
TrkA	neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase 1
TSG-6	tumor necrosis factor-alpha-inducible protein 6
VEGF	vascular endothelial growth factor
ZA	zoledronic acid