Melatonin Prevents Osteoarthritis-Induced Cartilage Degradation via Targeting MicroRNA-140

Figure 2

In vitro treatments with melatonin protected human articular chondrocytes from IL-1β-induced OA environment. (a) Chondrocytes were exposed to IL-1β (5 ng/mL) and then treated with melatonin (MT) at concentrations of 1 μM and 100 μM. Cell proliferation was evaluated using the CCK-8 assay. (b–d) The mRNA levels of chondrogenic genes, including COL2A1 (b), ACAN (c), and SOX9 (d), were quantified. (e) The protein expression of type II collagen was confirmed by an immunofluorescence experiment. . (f) The protein levels of aggrecan and type II collagen in melatonin-treated cells were determined using Western blot assays. Values are the of six independent experiments () in cell proliferation assays, four independent experiments () in PCR experiments, and three independent experiments () in Western blot assays. Statistically significant differences are indicated by # where or ## where vs. the CTRL group and where or where between the indicated groups.

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