Aims:　We　aim　to　investigate　the　role　of　microRNA-133a　(miR-133a)　in　intervertebral　disc　destruction　by　targeting　MMP9　in　spinal　tuberculosis　(TB).　Main　methods:　Rabbit　models　with　spinal　TB　were　established　and　assigned　to　the　blank,　miR-133a　mimic,　miR-133a　inhibitor　and　negative　control　(NC)　groups.　Primary　notochordal　cells　were　extracted　and　separately　transfected　with　miR-133a　mimics,　miR-133a　inhibitor,　miR-nonsense　sequence　control　(NC),　si-NC　and　si-MMP9.　QRT-PCR　and　Western　blot　assay　were　used　to　detect　the　expression　of　MMP-9,　Collagen　I,　Collagen　II　and　Collagen-X.　Gelatin　Zymography　was　performed　to　detect　MMP9　activity.　Immunohistochemistry　was　used　to　detect　the　expression　of　Collagen　I,　Collagen　II　and　Collagen-X　proteins.　Osteoclast　morphology　and　the　number　of　osteoclast　cells　were　observed　after　Tartrate　resistant　acid　phosphatase　staining.　Key　findings:　MMP9,　Collagen-X　and　Collagen　I　expression　and　MMP9　activity　were　higher　while　the　expression　of　Collagen　II　was　lower　in　the　miR-133a　mimic　group　than　the　miR-NC　group.　MMP9,　Collagen-X　Collagen　I　and　MMP9　activities　were　lower　and　Collagen　II　expression　was　higher　in　the　miR-133a　inhibitor　group　than　the　miR-NC　group.　Compared　with　the　si-NC　group,　the　si-MMP9　group　showed　increased　Collagen　II　expression　but　decreased　expression　of　MMP9,　Collagen-X　and　Collagen　I　and　MMP9　activity.　A　reduced　amount　of　osteoclast　cells　exhibited　in　the　miR-133a　mimic　group　while　an　increased　number　was　seen　in　the　miR-133a　inhibitor　group　compared　to　the　blank　group.　Significance:　MiR-133a　could　inhibit　Collagen　degradation　by　down-regulating　MMP-9　expression　to　attenuate　the　destructive　effects　of　spinal　TB　on　intervertebral　disc.