Fig. 6

HOTAIR promotes human NP cell senescence, apoptosis, and ECM degradation via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. a RT-qPCR analysis of ECM catabolic enzymes (MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-10), type II collagen, and aggrecan expression in NP cells. b An MTT assay was performed to determine the proliferation of NP cells. c Western blot analysis of protein expression levels (cleaved caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax, p16, and p53). d Histogram showing the relative protein expression levels of cleaved caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, p16, and p53 in the five groups. e–g Flow cytometric distributions of apoptosis and cell cycle phases of NP cells after plasmid transfection and XAV-939 treatment. h Immunofluorescence staining of MMP-9 in NP cells from different groups. Data are presented as mean ± SD from 3 samples for each group in 3 independent experiments. Data were analyzed using Student’s t test. *P < 0.05 vs. control group. ^#P < 0.05 vs. HOTAIR group