Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate promotes extracellular matrix and inhibits inflammation in IL-1β stimulated chondrocytes by the PTEN/miRNA-29b pathway

Context Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) exhibits anti-arthritic activity. MiR-29b-3p provokes chondrocyte apoptosis and promotes the initiation and development of osteoarthritis (OA).Objective To explore the roles of EGCG and miR-29b-3p in interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-stimulated chondrocytes.Materials and methods HE and Safranin O staining were used to detect the pathological changes of cartilage tissue in OA patients and healthy people. OA-like chondrocyte injury was mimicked by 5 ng/mL IL-1β stimulation for 24 h in vitro, and after transfection with miR-29b-3p mimics and pcDNA-PTEN, IL-1β-stimulated chondrocytes were pre-treated with EGCG (20 and 50 μM) for 2 h. Cell viability, colony numbers, apoptosis rate, the levels of IL-6 and matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), miR-19b-3p, PTEN and apoptosis-associated proteins in chondrocytes were evaluated.Results MiR-29b-3p level was upregulated in cartilage tissues of OA patients (3.5-fold change, p