Figure 3

Transfection of human synovial fibroblast-like cells with a Cx43 expression construct increased the expression of OA-associated catabolic and inflammatory genes. By quantitative real time RT-PCR, transient transfection of SW982 human synovial fibroblast-like cells with a rat Cx43 expressing plasmid (pSFFV-Cx43) significantly increased the gene expression of the OA-associated catabolic genes (A) MMP1, MMP13, ADAMTS4 and ADAMTS5 and the inflammatory cytokine genes (B) IL1, IL6 and PTGS2. N = 3. Data are shown as means ± standard deviations. Asterisks indicate p-value < 0.05 relative to the empty vector control. (C) Immunoblotting of transfected SW982 cells showed an increase in Cx43 expression in pSFFV-Cx43 transfected cells relative to cells transfected with an empty vector (EV). GAPDH was used as a load control.