Research Article

HMGB1 Acts in Synergy with Lipopolysaccharide in Activating Rheumatoid Synovial Fibroblasts via p38 MAPK and NF-κB Signaling Pathways

Figure 1

HMGB1 acted in synergy with LPS to stimulate the proliferation of SF. CON: control; HMGB1: high-mobility group box 1 protein; LPS: lipopolysaccharide. Cultured synovial fibroblasts (SF) were isolated from synovium obtained from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA): and cultured in vitro for 3–6 passages. SF were incubated with 10 ng/mL of LPS and/or 100 ng/mL of HMGB1 for 24 h. (a) and (b) SF were stained with propidium iodide for flow cytometric analysis. The percentages of cells in the G1, S, and G2/M phases of the cell cycle were determined using ModFit LT software. Representative histograms (a) and the percentages of the cells in S phase (b) were shown. (c) Cell proliferation was analyzed using commercially available Cell Counting Kit-8. Data are expressed as mean ± SD ( ). * and ** compared with control (unstimulated SF). Results shown are representative of 4 independent experiments.
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