Table I.

Primer sequences.

Gene	Sequence
PA28γ	5′-ACAAGTGAGGCAGAAGAC-3′, 5′-ATCATGGCTATTGGTGAG-3′
COL2	5'-GGCCAGGATGCCCGAAAATTA-3', 5'-CGCACCCT TTTCTCCCTTGT-3'
SOX9	5′-AGGAAGTCGGTGAAGAACGG-3′, 5′-GGACCCTG AGATTGCCCAGA-3′
MMP3	5′-ACTCCCTGGGACTCTACCAC-3′, 5′-GGTACCAC GAGGACATCAGG-3′
MMP13	5′-TGATGGACCTTCTGGTCTTCTGG-3′, 5′-CATCC ACATGGTTGGGAAGTTCT-3′
iNOS	5′-GACCCAGAGACAAGCCT AC-3′, 5′-GTGAGCTGGTAGGTTCCTG-3′
IL-6	5′-CAACGATGATGCACTTGCAGA-3′, 5′-TGTGACTCCAGCTTATCTCTTGG-3′
TNF-α	5′-CTCAGCGAGGACAGCAAGG-3′, 5′-CTCAGCGAGGACAGCAAGG-3′

COL2, type II collagen; IL-6, interleukin 6; iNOS, inducible nitric oxide synthase; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase; PA28γ, proteasome activator 28γ; SOX9, SRY-box transcription factor 9; TNF-α, tumour necrosis factor α.