Antiaging Factor Klotho Retards the Progress of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration through the Toll-Like Receptor 4-NF-κB Pathway

Figure 1

The expression of Klotho decreased and the activation of TLR4-NF-κB signaling in degenerative intervertebral disc. Rats were treated with or without needle puncture (np) for 2 weeks. (a) Representative photomicrographs of H&E-stained intervertebral disc sections ( in each group). Typical histologic appearance of the annulus fibrosus (AF) and NP from normal and degenerated discs is induced by percutaneous needle puncture. Scale bar, 20 μm (original magnification, ×40). (b) Representative protein levels of Klotho, TLR4, p-IκBα, and IκBα assayed by Western blotting (two randomly selected samples from each group were shown). (c) Klotho mRNA levels by qPCR. (d) Average mRNA levels of IL-1β, NOS2, and IL-18 were assayed by qRT-PCR and quantified as fold changes ( in each group). Data were presented as . , vs. sham.

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