Skip to main content
Fig. 5 | Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters

Fig. 5

From: Artemisinin relieves osteoarthritis by activating mitochondrial autophagy through reducing TNFSF11 expression and inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cartilage

Fig. 5Fig. 5

AT relieved osteoarthritis by activating autophagy through reducing TNFSF11 expression. A Western blot was used to analyze the proteins of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, including PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, mTOR, and p-mTOR. Three experiments were performed. B Protein level of PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, mTOR, and p-mTOR normalized to GAPDH using ImageJ software. C Western blot was used to analyze the proteins of ATG-5, beclin-1, MMP-3, TNF-α, ADAMTS5, and TNFSF11. D Proteins levels of ATG-5, beclin-1, MMP-3, TNF-α, ADAMTS5, and TNFSF11 normalized to GAPDH using ImageJ software. E Real-time RT-PCR was performed to determine the gene expression of ATG-5 and Beclin-1. F Immunofluorescence staining for mitochondria, Phalloidin was stained for cellular actin, and DAPI was stained for nuclear. Control: without IL-1β; IL-1β group: with 10 ng/mL; IL-1β + AT group: with 10 ng/mL IL-1β and 20 μM AT with MHY1485, pcDNA3.1, and pcDNA3.1-TNFSF11. G Real-time RT-PCR was performed to determine the gene expression of TNFSF11. H Real-time RT-PCR was performed to determine the gene expression of MMP-3, TNF-α, and ADAMTS5. All experiments were performed in triplicate. Data represent the mean ± SD (n = 3), * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01 and *** P < 0.001 vs. the IL-1β group

Back to article page