Fig. 3

Curcumin nanoparticles exert anti-catabolic and anti-inflammatory effect on gene expression of human primary chondrocytes in the absence of IL-1β (a) and presence of IL-1β (b). Human primary chondrocytes treated with nano-encapsulated curcumin (nano-curcumin) for 6 hours exhibited reduced mRNA levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP-3, MMP-13, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS5), IL-1β, TNF-α, and increased levels of CITED2 compared to that in vehicle-treated cells, while expression of collagen 2a1 (Col2a1) and aggrecan (Acan) remained unchanged. *P < 0.05, t test, n = 5/group