Fig. 1

Role of miR-17 in disc herniation. a The interaction between miR-17 and time, with leg pain as outcome (clinical study). Increased levels of miR-17 are associated with higher leg pain intensity at baseline, levelling off towards 1 year. The density curve represents the distribution of miR-17 expression among patients. Upper range of miR expression restricted at ≤ 3. Estimates are based on the mixed-effects regression model. The other covariates in the model are held constant, using the most common category for surgery and smoker (non-surgery and non-smoker), median prior pain duration, female sex and mean age. b Expression levels (2^−ΔCt values) of miR-17 in native rat NP and rat NP exposed to spinal dorsal nerve roots, median 122% increase, n paired = 10, p = 0.022 (dependent-samples sign-test). c TNF protein levels (pg/mL) in the medium of THP-1 cells transfected with scrambled miR (control) or transfected with miR-17, median 66% increase, n1 = n2 = 12, p = 0.015 (Wilcoxon rank sum test)