Zn2+ is an essential component of metalloproteinases, and is required for their activity in cartilage; however, the effect of Zn2+ on nucleus pulposus (NP) cells has not been widely investigated. The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of intracellular Zn2+ concentration ([Zn2+]i) in hypoxia-induced regulation of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and extracellular matrix (ECM) production in NP cells. NP cells from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were cultured as monolayers or in alginate beads. [Zn2+]i was assayed by FluoZin-3 AM staining. Alcian Blue staining, immunochemistry, 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB) assay, and real-time PCR were used to assay collagen II, proteoglycan, and COL2A1, MMP-13, and ADAMTS-5 mRNA expression. ZIP8, a main Zn2+ transporter in chondrocytes, was assayed by immunochemistry and in Western blotting. Interleukin (IL)-1β- and ZnCl2-induced increases of [Zn2+]i were significantly inhibited by hypoxia. Hypoxia did not reverse a decline of ECM expression caused by IL-1β and ZnCl2 in monolayer cultures, but did significantly attenuate the decreases of proteoglycan, glycosaminoglycan (GAG), and COL2A1 mRNA expression following IL-1β and ZnCl2 treatment in alginate bead cultures. However, ZnCl2 inhibited the protective effect of hypoxia. Both an intracellular Zn2+ chelator and hypoxia prevented the increase in MMP-13 mRNA expression. IL-1β and ZnCl2 treatment increased ZIP8 expression in NP cells, and hypoxia inhibited ZIP8 expression. In conclusion, decrease of Zn2+ influx mediates the protective role of hypoxia on ECM and MMP-13 expression. Consequently, changes in intracellular Zn2+ concentration maybe involved in intervertebral disc degeneration.