Figure 5
Induction of Wnt signaling suppresses whereas inhibition enhances hypoxia-induced re-differentiation of chondrocytes. (a) mRNA expression of collagen 2, collagen 1 and aggrecan of chondrocytes cultured in 3D under hypoxia with Wnt3a, LiCl (50 µM) and IWR-1 (5 µM) treatments. Mean ± s.d. for n = 3; normalized to 3D hypoxia control; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 when compared to hypoxia control. (b) Western blots showing β-catenin protein in chondrocytes in 3D under hypoxia with Wnt3a, LiCl and IWR-1 treatments. Actin was used as the loading control. (c) Immunofluorescence imaging of collagen 2 (green) and collagen 1 (red) and alcian blue staining of chondrocytes in 3D under hypoxia with Wnt3a, LiCl and IWR-1 treatments. Scale bar: 25 µm.
