Tantalum Particles Induced Cytotoxic and Inflammatory Effects in Human Monocytes

Figure 5

Expression of apoptosis-related genes (bax, bcl-2, bax/bcl-2, caspase-3, and caspase-9) in the control, HA, and Ta groups. (a) The expression of the apoptosis-related genes bax and bcl-2 was significantly upregulated in the HA and Ta groups compared with the control group, and the ratio of bax to bcl-2 was more than twice as high as that in the control group. Both the bax and bcl-2 gene expression levels in the Ta group were significantly higher than those in the HA group, but the bax/bcl-2 ratio in the Ta group was significantly lower than that in the HA group. (b) No significant change was found in the gene expression of caspase-3, but the increase in the gene expression level of caspase-9 suggested that Ta could induce cells to enter the mitochondrion-mediated apoptotic process by activating the caspase-9 pathway on the mitochondrial membrane at this concentration. comparing with the blank control group; comparing with the blank control group. ^# significant difference between the Ta and HA groups; ^## significant difference between the Ta and HA groups; ^### significant difference between the Ta and HA groups.

(a)

(b)