Figure 2

mRNA expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, IL-8, and MMP-9 in macrophages under normoxia. HIF-1α, VEGF, IL-8 and MMP-9 mRNA levels under normoxia from differentiated THP-1 cells (macrophages) and macrophages isolated from RA synovial fluid with LPS stimulation (4 hours) and without LPS stimulation. mRNA expression was expressed as fold induction (2^-ΔΔCt, Ct is threshold value), which is normalized to a household gene (GAPDH) and relative to an unstimulated sample (fold induction = 1).