Icariin Prevents IL-1β-Induced Apoptosis in Human Nucleus Pulposus via the PI3K/AKT Pathway

Figure 2

(a) Blank control; (b) 20 ng/ml IL-1β; (c) 20 ng/ml IL-1β + 20 μM icariin; (d) 20 μM icariin + 20 ng/ml IL-1β + 25 μM LY294002; (e) 20 ng/ml IL-1β + 25 μM LY294002. Compared with group A, IL-1β could induce apoptosis in human NP cells. When cells were pretreated with icariin, the apoptosis rate decreased. However, we noted that the PI3K/AKT pathway was involved in this protective effect, as the apoptosis rate increased when the PI3K/AKT pathway was blocked. All results were statistically significant ().