... specific activity than when activated byAPMA (4-aminophenylmercuric acetate), trypsin or plasmin[19,25,33]. Such potent activation of these proteins cantherefore shift the balance of activity in favour ... pathways, including analysis of enzyme activities, is required to better understand the underlying pathogenesis.Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests.Authors' ... in symptomatic IVD degeneration, the pathwayappears to involve the induced or enhanced expression of both the neurotrophin NGF and MMP-10.Increases in IL-1 may both directly stimulate the expression...