Fig. 4
MSCsSC-Exos up regulated the autophagy process via inhibiting the mTOR expression. A Heatmap showing the hierarchical cluster of differential expression genes in OA cartilage treated with MSCsSC-Exos or PBS. B Relative expression levels of the autophagy-related genes in primary chondrocytes treated with IL-1β and MSCsSC-Exos by qRT-PCR. C, D The immunofluorescence analysis of mTOR in articular cartilage of OA rat model. n = 6 for each group. Scale bar: 100 μm. E Protein levels of mTOR and P-p70s6 were examined in chondrocytes treated with IL-1β and MSCsSC-Exos by western blotting. F Protein level of mTOR was examined by western blotting in chondrocytes treated with IL-1β, MSCsSC-Exos and MHY1485. G and H The immunofluorescence analysis of COL2A1 and MMP-13 in chondrocytes of OA chondrocytes treated with MHY1485. n = 4 for each group. Scale bar: 10 μm. I Rat chondrocytes were infected with RFP-GFP-LC3 adenovirus and effects of MHY1485 on RFP-GFP- LC3 puncta. The numbers of RFP- and GFP-LC3 dots per cell were counted. n = 4 for each group. Scale bar: 10 μm. J Protein levels of P-p70s6 were examined in articular cartilage in OA rat model by western blotting. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.001, ns not significant