Fig. 3

TCF7 knockdown inhibited hypertrophy and fibrosis of LF in vivo. A Representative images of H&E staining of the LF and quantitative analysis of the LF area. Scale bar = 100 μm. B Representative images of EVG staining of the LF and quantitative analysis of the ratio of elastic fibers area to collagen fibers area. Scale bar = 20 μm. C, D Effect of TCF7 knockdown on the protein expression of TCF7 in mice with LF tissues as measured by Western Blot. C, E Effect of TCF7 knockdown on the protein expression of apoptosis-related genes (cleaved caspase3, Bax, and Bcl-2) in mice with LF tissues as measured by Western Blot. F, G Effect of TCF7 knockdown on the protein expression of fibrosis-related genes (collagen I, collagen III, MMP2, MMP13, and TGFβ1) in mice with LF tissues as measured by Western Blot. Con, control; M, mice with ligamentum flavum hypertrophy induced by bipedal standing; shNC, corresponding negative control of TCF7 knockdown adenovirus; shTCF7, TCF7 knockdown adenovirus. ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01, and ^###P < 0.001