Fig. 1.

TAF15 was significantly upregulated in OA cartilage tissue and OA cell model, and its knockdown inhibited IL-1β-induced chondrocyte apoptosis and ECM degradation. (A) TAF15, BRD4 and GREM1 mRNA levels in cartilage tissues were detected by qRT-PCR (B–C) TAF15 expression in chondrocytes following IL-1β treatment was assessed by qRT-PCR and Western blot. TAF15 knockdown was induced in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes by transfecting si-TAF15 into cells (D–E) qRT-PCR and Western blot were employed to examine TAF15 expression level in chondrocytes (F) CCK8 assay was employed to analyze chondrocyte viability (G) Chondrocyte apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL staining (H–I) Bax, Bcl-2, MMP13, ADAMTS5, Collagen II and Aggrecan protein levels in cells were detected using Western blot. Data were expressed as mean ± SD. All data were obtained from three independent experiments. ∗p < 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.01, ∗∗∗p < 0.001.