Figure 3.

Curcumin activates autophagy within chondrocytes. (A and B) Curcumin-induced autophagy was detected by MDC staining. (A) Representative image of staining (arrows indicate autophagic vacuoles; scale bar, 20 µm) and (B) quantified MDC activity at 24 h. (C-F) The levels of beclin-1, P62 and LC3-I/II were assessed using western blot analysis. (C) Representative western blot and quantified expression of (D) beclin-1, (E) P62 and (F) LC3-I/II. Values are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation (n=3). ^**P<0.01, ^***P<0.001 vs. control group; ^##P<0.01, ^###P<0.001 vs. H₂O₂ treatment group. LC3, light chain 3; MDC, monodansylcadaverine.