Fig. 6

EF induced the apoptosis of TNF-α stimulated HFLS-RA cells via the NF-κB pathway. HFLS-RA cells were incubated with TNF-α (10 ng/mL) and EF (400, 800, 1600 µg/mL) for 24 h. A, C Western blotting was conducted to determine the protein expression of p-p65 NF-κB, p-Iκκαβ, p-IκBα, p65 NF-κB, Iκκαβ, IκBα, cleaved caspase3, Bax, and Bcl-2. Effect of EF on the surface expression of TNF-α receptors on HFLS-RA cells. B, D Data are the mean ± SD (n = 3), *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, vs. TNF-α cells (HFLS-RA cells treated by TNF-α alone). ^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01, ^###p < 0.001, vs. control cells