Chemical Activation of the Hypoxia-Inducible Factor Reversibly Reduces Tendon Stem Cell Proliferation, Inhibits Their Differentiation, and Maintains Cell Undifferentiation

Figure 4

Effects of HIF-1α activation on stem cell and tendon marker expression. (a) Gene expression of NANOG, OCT4, and KLF4 by real-time PCR after a 96 h DMOG treatment, as compared to control-untreated cells. (b) Gene expression of Tenascin C and COL1A1 by real-time PCR after a 96 h DMOG treatment, as compared to control-untreated cells. Values are expressed as fold changes relative to control cells. Data are expressed as means ± SD of six different experiments. One-way ANOVA was used to test for differences among DMOG-treated cell groups. Bonferroni post hoc test was performed to compare individual DMOG-treated group cells against each other to see where the significant differences lie. Linear contrast analysis (analysis of variance) was used to assess for changes in the mean values with increasing doses of DMOG (red lines). Only values < 0.05 are indicated: , , and , as compared to control cells.

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