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. 2017 Apr 27;2017:2694261. doi: 10.1155/2017/2694261

Figure 5.

Figure 5

Icariin protects nucleus pulposus (NP) cells from H2O2-induced apoptosis. Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 were detected by Western blotting. Bcl-2 levels are descended in NP cells treated with H2O2 (∗∗p < 0.01 versus control group) and Bcl-2 levels are increased in NP cells treated with H2O2 and icariin when compared with the H2O2 alone group (#p < 0.05 versus H2O2 group) and decreased when the PI3K/Akt pathway is blocked with LY294002 ($p < 0.05 versus group (C)). Caspase-3 and Bax are decreased in icariin-treated cells (∗∗p < 0.05 versus control group). The protective effect of icariin could be impaired by the presence of LY294002 to block the PI3K/Akt pathway (##p < 0.01 versus H2O2 group, &p < 0.05 versus group (C)). In addition, LY294002 alone exacerbates H2O2-induced damage ($$p < 0.01, $p < 0.05 versus H2O2 group).