Bushen Huoxue Formula Modulates Autophagic Flux and Inhibits Apoptosis to Protect Nucleus Pulposus Cells by Restoring the AMPK/SIRT1 Pathway

Figure 5

BSHXF upregulates autophagic flux in NP cells. (a–e) Western blotting was applied to determine the expression of LC3, beclin-1, p62, and c-caspase-3. The cells were intervened in the presence of TNF-α and 3-MA with or without BSHXF. (f) Changes in autophagy flux were detected by fluorescence microscopy (yellow dots represent autophagosomes and red dots represent autophagolysosomes). The group with serum containing BSHXF, and ; the TNF-α group, ^# and ^##; and the 3-MA-treated group, ^∆ and ^∆∆.

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