Stromal cell-derived factor-1α regulates chondrogenic differentiation via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in mesenchymal stem cells

Figure 6 Wnt/β-catenin pathway involvement in the effects of stromal cell-derived factor-1α on cartilage differentiation. A: Expression levels of β-catenin, p-glycogen synthase kinase 3β (p-GSK-3β), and GSK-3β by western blotting; B: Blockage of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway with ICG-001 inhibited the expression levels of collagen X and matrix metalloproteinase 13; C: Relative β-catenin protein expression; D: Ratio of relative protein expression of p-GSK-3β to relative protein expression of GSK-3β (p-GSK-3β/GSK-3β); E: Relative aggrecan, collagen X, and MMP13 protein expression. ¹P < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01, Student’s t-test. p-GSK-3β: p-glycogen synthase kinase 3β; GSK-3β: Glycogen synthase kinase 3β; MMP13: Matrix metalloproteinase 13; GAPDH: Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; sdf-1α: Stromal cell-derived factor-1α.