Figure 7.

Analgesic/anti-inflammatory agents in combination with HA rescued CSE-impaired primary human chondrocytes. Cells (N ≥ 3, n = 3) were incubated with Dex (4 μg/mL), Dic (1 μg/mL), or Ace (10 μg/mL) in combination with HA (5 mg/mL) with or without 10% CSE. After 7 days of treatment, the viability of the cells was measured by (a) mitochondrial activity (resazurin conversion) and (b) total protein content (SRB staining). (c). Matrix formation of the cells was quantified by resolving the Alcian blue staining. (d). DCFH-DA assay was used to evaluate ROS production in primary human chondrocytes co-incubated with or without 10% CSE and treatments, and 0.01% v/v H₂O₂ served as a positive control. Results are given as fold change of control (untreated cells, represented in red dotted line) and presented as mean ± SEM. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001 compared to untreated cells, ° p < 0.05, °° p < 0.01, °°° p < 0.001 compared to CSE treated cells.