Exosomal circEhmt1 Released from Hypoxia-Pretreated Pericytes Regulates High Glucose-Induced Microvascular Dysfunction via the NFIA/NLRP3 Pathway

Figure 3

Exosomal circEhmt1 released from hypoxia-stimulated pericytes protected endotheliocytes against HG-induced injury. HG-induced endotheliocytes were incubated with hypoxia-pretreated pericyte exosomes, followed by EIPA treatment with or without transfection with the circEhmt1 overexpression plasmid. (a) circEhmt1 expression in endotheliocytes was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. (b) Immunofluorescence staining of Bax in endotheliocytes. (c) Angiogenesis activity in cultured endotheliocytes was determined by tube formation assays. (d) The levels of Bax, Bcl-2, NLRP3, and NFIA protein expression in endotheliocytes were detected by western blotting. (e, f) The levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in endotheliocytes were measured by ELISA. Data are expressed as a . , compared with control; ^#, ^##, compared with HG; ^$, compared with HG = +Exo; ^%, compared with HG + Exo + EIPA+NC.