Cartilage-derived　morphogenetic　protein-1　(CDMP1)　is　a　polypeptide　growth　factor　with　specific　cartilage　inducibility,　which　is　predominantly　expressed　in　the　developmental　long　bone　cartilage　core　and　in　the　pre-cartilage　matrix　in　the　embryonic　stage.　The　aim　of　the　present　study　was　to　investigate　the　roles　and　the　mechanisms　of　CDMP1　overexpression　on　the　apoptosis　of　rat　dorsal　root　ganglia　(DRG)　neurons　that　were　induced　by　inflammatory　cytokines.　Cell　counting　Kit-8　assay,　flow　cytometry　and　TdT-mediated　dUTP　nick-end　labeling　assay　were　performed　to　examine　cell　viability　and　apoptosis.　ELISA,　hematoxylin　and　eosin　staining　and　immunohistochemistry　assays　were　performed　to　examine　the　levels　of　several　factors　in　DRG　tissues.　Western　blot　analysis　and　reverse　transcription-quantitative　polymerase　chain　reaction　assays　were　used　to　determine　the　mRNA　and　protein　expression　levels,　respectively.　The　results　demonstrated　that　CDMP1　expression　was　downregulated,　while　inflammatory　cytokine　expression　was　upregulated　in　DRG　tissues　derived　from　lumbar　disc　herniation　(LDH)　model　rats.　In　addition,　DRG　cells　from　LDH　rats　exhibited　increased　apoptosis　compared　with　control　rats.　CDMP1　overexpression　enhanced　the　cell　viability　of　inflammatory　cytokine-induced　DRG　cells,　and　suppressed　the　apoptosis　of　inflammatory　cytokine-induced　DRG　cells　via　regulating　the　expression　levels　of　Caspase-3/8/9,　BCL2　apoptosis　regulator,　and　BCL2　associated　X.　Furthermore,　CDMP1　overexpression　was　demonstrated　to　affect　the　Wnt/beta-Catenin　pathway　in　the　inflammatory　cytokine-induced　DRG　cells.　In　conclusion,　the　present　findings　suggested　that　CDMP1　overexpression　mediated　inflammatory　cytokine-induced　apoptosis　via　Wnt/beta-Catenin　signaling　in　rat　DRG　cells.