Fig. 4.

Knockdown of PA28γ alleviates interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced inflammation and apoptosis in chondrocytes. a) mRNA expression of iNOS, IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) after transfection of chondrocytes with si-NC or si-PA28γ and treatment with IL-1β (****p < 0.0001). b) Representative western blotting and quantitative data of iNOS and COX2 after transfection of chondrocytes with si-NC or si-PA28γ and treatment with IL-1β (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001). c) COX2 representative immunofluorescence images of chondrocytes transfected with si-NC or si-PA28γ and treated with IL-1β, measuring scale = 100 μm. d) Representative western blotting and quantitative data of BAX, BCL2, clv Caspase3, and t Caspase3 after transfection of chondrocytes with si-NC or si-PA28γ and treatment with IL-1β (*p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001). e) Flow cytometry with annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis analysis after transfection of chondrocytes with si-NC or si-PA28γ and treatment with IL-1β. DAPI, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; ns, not significant.