Thymoquinone inhibited the chondrogenic differentiation of tendon-derived stem cells caused by tendon injury

Figure 2 Thymoquinone inhibited the chondrogenic differentiation of tendon-derived stem cells subjected to injury conditions. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was utilized to assess the expression levels of tenocyte markers (collagen I, scleraxis, tenomodulin), and chondrocyte markers (collagen II, aggrecan, SOX9), in tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs) across various experimental groups. The control group refers to TDSCs cultured on decellularized tendon slices with 0% strain; the control + thapsigargin group refers to TDSCs treated with thapsigargin on decellularized tendon slices with 0% strain; the injury group refers to TDSCs cultured on decellularized tendon slices with 6.4% strain; the injury + 4-phenylbutyric acid group refers to TDSCs treated with 4-phenylbutyric acid on decellularized tendon slices with 6.4% strain; the injury + thymoquinone group refers to TDSCs treated with thymoquinone on decellularized tendon slices with 6.4% strain. ^bP < 0.01, compared to the control group; ^dP < 0.01, comparisons between the experimental groups. SCX: Scleraxis; TNMD: Tenomodulin; Ctl: Control; Ctl + Thap: Control + thapsigargin; 4-PBA: 4-phenylbutyric acid; TQ: Thymoquinone.