Figure 2

The effect of rapamycin on phospho- mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) and light chain 3 (LC3) expression. (A) Representative images of immunostaining for p-mTOR (green) and LC3 (green). Scale bar = 20 μm. (B) Quantification of p-mTOR-positive cells was calculated. Rapamycin treatment suppressed p-mTOR expression in the rapamycin-treated mice compared to those treated with dimethyl sulphoxid (DMSO) at both the 8- and 12-week time points (at 8 weeks DMSO 108.5 ± 13.3, rapamycin 43.0 ± 8.9 mm; at 12 weeks DMSO 273.8 ± 27.0, rapamycin 76.5 ± 14.7 mm). (C) Quantification of LC3-positive cells was calculated. **P <0.01, ***P <0.001. DMM, destabilization of the medial meniscus.