The present invention has shown that endoplasmic reticulum stress correlates with intervertebral disk degeneration, and that an endoplasmic reticulum stress reduction agent, particularly, a PERK inhibitor can ameliorate intervertebral disk degeneration, and backache and other disorders resulting therefrom. In addition, provided is a method for screening a therapeutic drug against intervertebral disk degeneration, the method using, as an index, a change of molecules involved in the NF-κB signal transduction system or the PERK pathway.
THERAPEUTIC DRUG AGAINST INTERVERTEBRAL DISK DEGENERATION, TARGETING ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM STRESS