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

Figure 8

CUR treatment inhibits TBHP-induced apoptosis and senescence in the human NP cells by facilitating autophagic flux. (a–c) The protein levels of LC3and p62 in the human NP cells were measured by western blotting. (d, e) Annexin V-APC/7-AAD staining results showing the apoptosis rate of the human NP cells. (f–l) The expression of mitochondrial Cyt-c, cytoplasmic Cyt-c, Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-9 proteins was measured by western blotting. (f, m–o) Cells were treated as indicated in the legend of Figures 2(l)–2(o). (f, m) The expression of p16 protein was measured by western blotting. (n, o) SA-β-gal staining assay was performed in the human NP cells. Scale bar: 100 μm. GAPDH was used as an internal control. Data are represented as the . versus control group. ^## versus TBHP group. ^&&, ^& versus TBHP+CUR group, .

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