Table 1 Primer sequences used in quantitative real-time PCR (all primers were purchased from Invitrogen, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)

β-Actin

5′-AAGCCACCCCACTTCTCTCTAA-3′

(Forward)

5′-AATGCTATCACCTCCCCTGTGT-3′

(Reverse)

Aggrecan

5′-AGGGCGAGTGGAATGATGTT-3′

(Forward)

5′-GGTGGCTGTGCCCTTTTTAC-3′

(Reverse)

Collagen I (COL1A2)

5′-TTGCCCAAAGTTGTCCTCTTCT-3′

(Forward)

5′-AGCTTCTGTGGAACCATGGAA-3′

(Reverse)

Collagen II (COL2A1)

5′-CTGCAAAATAAAATCTCGGTGTTCT-3′

(Forward)

5′-GGGCATTTGACTCACACCAGT-3′

(Reverse)

Collagen 10A1 (COL10A1)

5′-GCCTCACTTATTAAAGCACAAAATGT-3′

(Forward)

5′-AATGGTTGAGAACAGCAAATTGC-3′

(Reverse)

IL1Ra

5′-CTGCACAGCGATGGAAGCT-3′

(Forward)

5′-GCCTTCGTCAGGCATATTGG-3′

(Reverse)

MMP-1

5′-ATGAGTCTTTGCCGGAGGAA-3′

(Forward)

5′-GTGACACCAGTGACTGCACATG-3′

(Reverse)

MMP-3

5′-CATCCAAAAACGCCAGACAA-3′

(Forward)

5′-CGGAGACTGGTAATGGCATCA-3′

(Reverse)

MMP-13

5′-CATCCAAAAACGCCAGACAA-3′

(Forward)

5′-CGGAGACTGGTAATGGCATCA-3′

(Reverse)

SOX9

5′-CTTTGGTTTGTGTTCGTGTTTTG-3′

(Forward)

5′-AGAGAAAGAAAAAGGGAAAGGTAAGTTT-3′

(Reverse)