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. 2018 Sep 17;9(10):938. doi: 10.1038/s41419-018-0970-6

Fig. 3. RPTOR promoted autophagy and osteogenic activities.

Fig. 3

a RPTOR levels in RPTOR cDNA- and RNAi-transfected osteoblasts. b Increasing RPTOR alleviated the glucocorticoid-induced loss of Atg4, and Atg12 expressions, LC3-II levels, LC3-II/LC3-I ratio, and c autophagic puncta. Scale bars, 8 μm (upper panels) and 16 μm (lower panels). It also restored d Runx2 and osteocalcin expression, and e mineralized nodule formation. Knocking down RPTOR impaired autophagic marker expression, autophagic vesicle formation, and osteogenic activity. Scale bar, 46 μm. Experiments results are expressed as mean ± standard error. Asterisks (*) resemble a significant difference (P < 0.05) vs. scramble group, and hashtag (#) indicates a distinguishable difference (P < 0.05) vs. glucocorticoid-treated group