Figure 2.

Effects of circRNA.33186 on Type II Collagen and MMP-13 Expression in IL-1β-Induced Chondrocytes

Chondrocytes were transfected with si-circRNA or si-NC, and then treated with 10 ng/mL IL-1β for 24 h. (A and B) Schematic illustration of si-circRNA target sites (A) and expression analyses of circRNA.33186 knockdown efficiency by three different si-circRNAs in chondrocytes (B). (C) Effects of circRNA.33186 inhibition on Col2a1 and MMP-13 mRNA levels were determined by qRT-PCR. (D) Effects of circRNA.33186 inhibition on Col2a1 and MMP-13 protein levels were determined by western blot. (E) Effects of circRNA.33186 inhibition on Col2a1 protein levels were determined by immunofluorescence staining. Images were acquired by confocal microscope. Scale bars, 200 μm. *p < 0.01 compared with blank; ^#p < 0.01 compared with IL-1β group.