Research Paper Volume 15, Issue 6 pp 2275—2292
PTEN inhibitor VO-OHpic protects endplate chondrocytes against apoptosis and calcification via activating Nrf-2 signaling pathway
Figure 1. VO-OHpic significantly ameliorated IDD progression and cartilage endplate calcification in vivo. (A) HE staining of L4/5 intervertebral discs in Ctrl group, IDD group and IDD+VO-OHpic group. Scale bar = 200 μm. (B) Micro-CT analysis of L4/5 segments and cartilage endplate. Scale bar = 1 mm. (C) Histological score of the L4–5 segments of the lumbar spine among the three groups. (D) Quantification of cartilage endplate calcification via microarchitecture parameters (bone volume per tissue volume (BV/TV)). (E) Histomorphometric assessment of the intervertebral disc height. The disc height was calculated by the average of the anterior, middle and posterior of intervertebral disc. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 7/group). ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001.