MATN3 overexpression suppresses ECM degradation and autophagy defects in cartilage tissues to relieve OA in mice. An RT-qPCR for MATN3 expression in the cartilage tissues of each group of mice (n = 8). B, The expression of MATN3 in the cartilage tissues of mice in each group was detected by immunohistochemistry (bar = 25 μm). C-D, ELISA for IL-6 and TNF-α contents in mouse serum. E, H&E staining for the pathology of the cartilage tissues (bar = 50 μm) and the synovitis score. F, Toluidine blue staining for aggrecan content (bar = 50 μm) and semi-quantitative analysis in the cartilage tissue of mice. G, Safranin O green staining for ECM degradation (bar = 50 μm) and OARSI score of mouse cartilage tissue. H, TEM for the autophagosome in the chondrocytes of mice (bar = 1 μm). ∗ indicates p < 0.05, compared with the sham group; # indicates p < 0.05 compared with the OA + oe-NC group. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)