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

Figure 3

(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. Intercellular ROS rates increased when human NP cells were exposed to 20 ng/mL IL-1β. Icariin attenuated the effect of IL-1β, to a certain extent. When PI3K/AKT pathway was blocked by LY294002, the protective effect of icariin was weakened. What is more, LY294002 could be an independent damage factor or had a synergistic effect with IL-1β to raise the intercellular ROS rate.