Fig. 2

E2 suppresses MMP-13 expression in female OA chondrocytes. a Relative expression levels of Adamts-5 mRNA 24 hr after E2 treatment in primary OA chondrocytes from female patients. b Relative expression levels of MMP-13 mRNA 24 hr after E2 treatment in primary OA chondrocytes from female patients. c Western blot analyses of MMP-13 protein expression in OA chondrocytes from female patients were treated with or without E2. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. ^* P < 0.05, ^** P < 0.001. E2 17-β-estradiol, GAPDH glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, MMP-13 metalloproteinase 13, mRNA messenger RNA