Fig. 3

IL-23 and IFN-γ showed higher frequencies in AS ligaments than in OA ligaments. a Primary fibroblasts were treated with 100 ng/ml recombinant human cytokines for 24 h. Stem cell transcription factors and osteogenic marker genes were measured with q-PCR (n = 4). b The relative expression of IL23A at the mRNA level in OA (n = 5) and AS (n = 8) ligament samples. c The relative expression of IFNG at the mRNA level in OA (n = 5) and AS (n = 8) ligament samples. d Representative images shown IHC staining for IL-23 in the ligaments of patients with AS and OA. Boxed areas in the left panels are shown at higher magnification in the right panels. Positive cells (arrows). Scale bar = 100 µm (left panels). Scale bar = 50 µm (right panels). e Quantification of IL-23-positive cells is displayed (n = 3). f Representative images shown IHC staining for IFN-γ in the ligaments of patient with AS and OA. Boxed areas in the left panels are shown at higher magnification in the right panels. Positive cells (arrows). Scale bar = 100 µm (left panels). Scale bar = 50 µm (right panels). g Quantification of IFN-γ-positive cells is displayed (n = 3). Values are reported as the median ± SEM. *p < 0.05. **p < 0.01