Research Article
Increased Expression of Integrin Alpha 6 in Nucleus Pulposus Cells in Response to High Oxygen Tension Protects against Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
Figure 1
Upregulation of ITG α6 expression by HOT in NP cells through activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in vitro. (a) qRT-PCR analysis of twelve known subunits of the integrins in NP cells exposed to HOT (21%, O2) for 24 h. . , . (b) Expression of ITG α6 was observed by immunofluorescence staining in NP cells exposed to HOT (21%, O2) for different time courses. . (c) Quantitative analysis of positive staining. The intensity of the immunofluorescence of ITG α6 was markedly increased in NP cells exposed to HOT (21%, O2) from 12 h to 48 h. . , . (d) qRT-PCR analysis of ITG α6 mRNA expression in NP cells exposed to HOT for 24 h and 48 h. . . (e) Western blot analysis of ITG α6, AKT, p-AKT, and β-actin expression in NP cells exposed to HOT (21%, O2) for different time courses. . (f–h) The results of western blot analysis are expressed as percentages of positive mean . . , . (i) Western blot analysis of ITG α6, AKT, p-AKT, and β-actin expression in NP cells treated with (LY294002, 20 μM) under HOT (21%, O2). . (j–l) The results of western blot analysis are expressed as percentages of positive mean . . , .
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