FIG. 2.

Reduction in GAG deposition with SMAD3 knockdown or RUNX2 overexpression. (A) Alcian blue staining of monolayer cells cultured without (left) and with (right) TGFβ3. Distinct GAG rich matrix was observed in the scrambled shRNA transduced wells when stimulated with 5 ng/mL TGFβ3. All other wells exhibited very low levels of alcian blue staining. Scale bar = 500 μm. (B) Quantification of alcian blue dye in wells with 0 ng/mL (purple dots) or 5 ng/mL (red squares) of TGFβ3, n = 5. Points represent independent specimen. Scale bars represent geometric means for each group. Two-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc test. Effect of TGFβ3 dose: p < 0.0001. Effect of virus type: p < 0.0001. Interaction between TGFβ3 dose and virus type: p < 0.0001. Groups of different letters are statistically different from one another. RUNX2, runt-related transcription factor; GAG, glycosaminoglycan. Color images available online at www.liebertpub.com/tea