Effect of CTS on the gene expression of AF cells from non-degenerate and degenerate IVDs+/− peptides.

<p>Cells derived from non-degenerate and degenerate IVDs were treated+/− RAD (50 µg/ml) or RGD (50 µg/ml) -peptides 30 minutes prior to mechanical stimulation with CTS at 10% strain, 1.0 Hz, for 20 minutes, then incubated for up to 24 hours prior to analysis. QRT-PCR was used to analyse the gene expression of A) ADAMTS -4 or B) type I collagen, relative to the housekeeping gene GAPDH and normalised to the corresponding unloaded baseline control in non-degenerate (n = 3) and degenerate (n = 3) AF cells, respectively. Black represents AF cells cyclically strained without peptide treatment, while speckles and stripes represent cells cyclically strained after treatment with RAD or RGD –peptides, respectively. Values are mean of 3 donors+/− standard error mean. *denote a significant change (<i>p</i>≤0.05) in gene expression between mechanically stimulated and unstimulated baseline control.