Administration of N-Acetylcysteine to Regress the Fibrogenic and Proinflammatory Effects of Oxidative Stress in Hypertrophic Ligamentum Flavum Cells

Figure 4

Relative protein expression levels indicating more active intracellular signaling and inflammatory responses in hypertrophic LF cells. (a) Protein expression of the p-p38/MAPK pathway and inflammatory and fibrotic markers determined through Western blotting. (b) Under oxidative stress, the protein expression ratio of iNOS increased only in the hypertrophic LF cells. (c) The protein expression ratio of p-p38 exhibited a dramatic increase in both the hypertrophic and healthy LF cells after H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress. (d) The expression of α-SMA did not increase after 30 min of H₂O₂ treatment in either group (; compared with the LDH control group or LSS control group; compared with the LDH control group or LSS control group; compared with the LDH control group; values were derived from a one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test).

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