Figure 2.

Progesterone decreased NF-κB activity in the synovial membrane of inflamed TMJ. (A) Abatement of the DNA-binding activity of NF-κB in the synovial membrane by increasing doses of P4. Activation of NF-κB was examined with electrophoretic mobility shift assay 24 hours after the induction of TMJ inflammation. Unlabeled probes completely blocked formation of the DNA-binding complexes. (B) Representative photomicrographs of p65 immunostaining of sections of TMJs 24 h after induction of TMJ inflammation. p65 was rarely expressed in the synovial membrane in control group. After induction of inflammation, p65 was strongly observed in sham group and showed a trend towards decreasing with increasing doses of P4 in the ovariectomized groups.