Glucocorticoid induced autophagy in N1511 chondrocyte cells.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether autophagy was involved in chondrocyte cells post Glucocorticoids (GCs) treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS LC3-GFP reporter plasmid transfection and western blotting analysis were conducted to determine the autophagic vesicles and autophagy-associated molecules in the N1511 chondrocyte cells post dexamethasone (Dex) treatment. And the N1511 cell viability was also determined by MTT assay. RESULTS We found that autophagy was induced in the N1511 chondrocyte cells post treatment with Dex of 5 µM to 1 mM, and the autophagy-induction by Dex could be inhibited by 3 MA and RU486, a GC antagonist. And the autophagy induced by the high dose of Dex (200 µM or 1 mM) was associated with a reduction of N1511 cell viability. CONCLUSIONS These results suggested that GCs could induce autophagy, as might contribute to the viability reduction of chondrocyte cells.