Fig. 3

Effect of upregulation and activation of PPARγ protein on NF-κB in an IDD cell model. A Histogram showing the fluorescence staining intensity of NF-κB in each group of HNPCs. B Immunofluorescence staining of the cell nucleus (blue) and NF-κB (green) in each group of HNPCs. (**P < 0.01 vs. NC group; ^#P < 0.05 vs. IL-1β group; ^P < 0.05 vs. IL-1β + PPARγ group; ^&P < 0.05 vs. IL-1β + pioglitazone group). NC, normal control; IL-1β, interleukin-1β; PPARγ, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ; NF-κB, nuclear factor-kappaB; IDD, intervertebral disc degeneration; HNPCs, human nucleus pulposus cells