Inhibition of the Notch1 Pathway Promotes the Effects of Nucleus Pulposus Cell-Derived Exosomes on the Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Nucleus Pulposus-Like Cells in Rats

Figure 4

Notch1 pathway was negatively associated with exosome-induced MSC differentiation. (a) Gene expression of Notch1, Hes1, and Hey1 was significantly downregulated in DAPT-treated MSCs. Vehicle: DMSO. (b) DAPT enhanced the expression of collagen II, aggrecan, and Sox9 in exosome-treated MSCs. Vehicle: DMSO. (c) Gene expression of Notch1, Hes1, and Hey1 was significantly upregulated in SJAG-treated MSCs. Vehicle: PBS. (d) SJAG enhanced the expression of collagen II, aggrecan, and Sox9 in exosome-treated MSCs. Vehicle: PBS. (e) Western blot analysis of Notch1, Hes1, Hey1, collagen II, aggrecan, and Sox9 in MSCs treated under the same condition as (b) and (d). (f, g) Inhibition of Notch1 protein promoted the protein expression of collagen II, aggrecan, and Sox9 in exosome-treated MSCs. Control: MSCs treated with NPC exosomes (50 μg/ml); siRNA NC: MSCs treated with NPC exosomes (50 μg/ml) and Notch1 siRNA-negative control; siRNA: MSCs treated with NPC exosomes (50 μg/ml) and Notch1 siRNA. All data were showed as . . , , and .

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(g)