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. 2021 Sep 28;12(10):886. doi: 10.1038/s41419-021-04170-0

Fig. 5. RORα inhibition reversed IL-6 mediated cartilage degradation in human articular chondrocytes.

Fig. 5

A IHC staining and positive cell percentage for STAT3 and phosphorylated STAT3 (Y705) of normal and degenerated OA cartilage (n = 6). Scale bars, 50 μm. B IHC staining for phosphorylated STAT3 of articular cartilage after 6 weeks of indicated treatment of mice. Scale bars, 50 μm. C Cells were infected with sh-RORA or control virus (sh-NC) lentivirus and then treated with 50 ng/ml IL-6 for 48 h. The expressions of MMP13, ADAMTS4, ADAMTS5, ACAN, and COL2A1 in human articular chondrocytes were detected by real-time PCR analysis. D Western blot analysis and quantification of ACAN, COL2A1, ADAMTS4, ADAMTS5, and MMP13 protein level in human chondrocytes. Chondrocytes were infected with sh-RORA sh-NC lentivirus and then treated with 50 ng/ml IL-6 for 48 h as indicated. E The expression of RORα in human articular chondrocytes after different durations of IL-6 treatment was detected by western blot. F The expressions of MMP13, aggrecan, and COL2A1 in human chondrocytes were detected by western blot. Cells were treated with either vehicle, IL-6, SR3335, Stattic, or in combination as indicated above. The statistical data in A were analyzed with Student’s t test, and data in C and D were analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s test. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ns = no significance. All data shown above are presented as mean ± SD.