Fig. 6

LncRNA CIR inhibits chondrogenic differentiation by epigenetically inhibiting ATOH8. a qRT-PCR analysis of ATOH8 mRNA levels in transfected cells. b Western blot analysis of ATOH8 protein levels in transfected cells. c Alcian blue staining to analyze chondrogenic differentiation of hUC-MSCs transfected with different constructs. d Western blot analysis of expression levels of SOX9, Aggrecan, and Col2A1 in transfected cells. e Immunostaining analysis of levels of Col2A1 and Aggrecan in transfected cells. n = 3; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001