Lactate accumulation is a hallmark and contributing factor of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Lactate accumulation facilitates protein lactylation, while the role and mechanism of protein lactylation in IVDD remain unclear. In this study, we performed sequencing of the lactylation sites of whole protein in nucleus pulposus tissues of 3 normal and 3 acupuncture induced intervertebral disc degeneration rats to explore the function of different lactylation sites and their effects on intervertebral disc degeneration.