Fig 2: BX795 alleviated cartilage degradation and chondrocyte senescence in DMM mice. (A) HE, toluidine blue, and safranin O/fast green staining reflect the articular cartilage surfaces. (B) Quantitative analysis of the OARSI scores (n = 8). (C) Immunohistological staining and (D) quantitative analysis of anabolic (Aggrecan, Collagen II), catabolic (MMP13), inflammation (iNOS), and senescence-related (P16INK4a) phenotypic proteins (n = 3). *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.

Fig 3: MiR-122 inhibits oxidative responses. (A) Primary human astrocytes transfected with miR-122 mimics and NC were treated with OGD, the levels of ROS were analyzed by flow cytometry. (B) Primary mouse astrocytes transfected with miR-122 mimics and NC were treated with OGD, the levels of ROS were analyzed by flow cytometry. (C) Primary human and mouse astrocytes transfected with miR-122 mimics and NC were treated with OGD, 8-OHdG contents were measured. (D,E) Primary human and mouse astrocytes, and HT22 mouse hippocampal neuronal cells were transfected with miR-122 mimics and NC, (D) the expression of iNOS were measured by qRT-PCR, (E) the expression of iNOS were measured by western blot. Each point represents the mean ± SD. Data show a representative of three independent experiments. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01.

Fig 4: NRG reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS/Aβ‐stimulated BV2 cells.a BV2 cells were treated with or without different concentrations of NRG for 24 h, and the cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay. b BV2 cells were treated with or without NRG (50 and 100 μM), and the graph showed the mRNA levels of Tnf-α, Il‐1β, iNos, and Cox-2 analyzed using qPCR. n = 3/group. c BV2 cells were treated with or without NRG (50 and 100 μM), and the graph showed the protein levels of TNF-α and IL‐1β analyzed using ELISA. n = 3/group. d BV2 cells were treated with or without NRG (100 μM), and the graph showed the representative Western blots of iNOS and COX-2, and densitometry analysis of COX-2. n = 4/group All data are presented as the mean ± SD. One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s post-hoc test was performed.