Irisin Ameliorates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Activating LATS/YAP/CTGF Signaling

Figure 5

LATS and YAP mediated the effects of irisin on the ECM metabolism in human NPCs. (a) The expression levels of YAP protein were detected by western blot between control and degenerative groups. (b) IHC staining was performed to detect the YAP expression level between control and puncture groups in rats’ intervertebral disc. Images (magnification: ×400, scale bar: 50 μm). (c) Protein expression levels of the Hippo signaling pathway (LATS1, LATS2, p-LATS1/2, YAP, and p-YAP) were detected by western blot in different groups. (d) Quantitative analysis of the bands in (c) using ImageJ software. (e) The localization of YAP was assessed via immunofluorescence in different groups. Images (magnification: ×400, scale bar: 50 μm). (f) The protein expression levels of ECM metabolism markers (COL2A1, MMP13, ADAMTS4, and ADAMTS5) were assessed by western blot in human NPCs. (g) The expression levels of ADAMTS4, COL2A1, and CTGF were detected by immunofluorescence in human NPCs. Images (magnification: ×400, scale bar: 50 μm). In this figure, irisin was used at the concentration of 100 ng/ml, TNF-α was used at the concentration of 10 ng/ml, and verteporfin was used at the concentration of 5 μmol/l. , .

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