Figure 3.

Genistein affected IL-1β-stimulated Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways in chondrocytes. (A) Human chondrocytes were stimulated using IL-1β and then treated with genistein for 24 h. HO-1 protein expression was quantified using Image J software. (B) Nuclear extracts of chondrocytes were treated with IL-1β in the presence of solvent or various doses of genistein for 24 h before the DNA-binding activity of Nrf-2 was analyzed using EMSA. P: probe only; Results are presented as the mean ± SD from no more than three independent experiments. Significance was determined using a t-test. Significant differences between the genistein group and the control group are indicated by an asterix (*); significant differences between the genistein group and the IL-1β group are indicated by a pound symbol (#). * p < 0.05; ^## p < 0.01.