FIGURE 6.

SMER28, which induces autophagy independent of mTOR, also increases ACV number without cell toxicity. A, porcine chondrocytes were incubated with no additives or 250 μm SMER28 for 4–8 h. ACVs were counted in conditioned medium. SMER28 increased ACV number (n = 9, ***, p < 0.001). B, porcine chondrocytes were incubated with no additives or 250 μm SMER28 for 4–8 h. Cells were lysed, and the lysate used in Western blotting to measure levels of LC3. SMER28 increased levels of LC3-II. C, toxicity was assessed using LDH levels in conditioned medium and the MTT assay. SMER28 did not increase cell toxicity (n = 3, p > 0.05).