Fig. 4
From: Excessive reactive oxygen species are therapeutic targets for intervertebral disc degeneration
NAC significantly neutralizes the catabolic effect of ROS. a, b NAC significantly abolished the induction of TNFα, MMP-3, and COX-2 expression and reduction of aggrecan expression in H2O2-treated a or BSO-treated b AF cells by real-time RT-PCR analysis. c, d Western blotting and densitometry clearly showed that NAC treatment inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 but not of JNK, ERK, and p65. NTC, nontreated control. Data presented as mean ± SD of three independent experiments performed in triplicate (n = 3); *p <0.05. BSO buthionine sulfoximine, COX cyclooxygenase, ERK extracellular signal-regulated kinase, H 2 O 2 hydrogen peroxide, JNK c-Jun N-terminal kinase, MMP matrix metalloprotease, NAC N-acetyl cysteine, ns not significant, TNF tumor necrosis factor