Restoration of Autophagic Flux Rescues Oxidative Damage and Mitochondrial Dysfunction to Protect against Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Figure 6

AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway is involved in CUR-triggered activation of autophagy in the human NP cells. (a–d) The levels of AMPK, p-AMPK, mTOR, p-mTOR, ULK1, and p-ULK1 proteins in the human NP cells were measured by western blotting. (e–j) The levels of AMPK, p-AMPK, mTOR, p-mTOR, ULK1, p-ULK1, LC3, Beclin-1, and p62 proteins in the human NP cells that were treated as indicated. CC refers to compound C. (k, l) Immunofluorescence staining of LC3 in human NP cells. Scale bar: 20 μm. GAPDH was used as an internal control. Data are represented as the . , , .

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