Mycophenolic Acid Induces the Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Damage through Mitochondrial ROS

Figure 5

The MPA-induced decrease in TJ expression and apoptosis is mediated by oxidative stress in mouse intestinal tissue and Caco-2 cells. ROS levels (a, d), SOD levels (b, e), and MDA content (c, f) in mice tissues and Caco-2 cells after MPA induction. ROS in mouse tissues showed red fluorescence. After exposure to 2 mM of NAC or 10 μM MPA for 24 h, intracellular ROS levels (g) and apoptosis (j) were detected by flow cytometry, occludin, ZO-1, and Bax/Bcl-2 protein expressions in Caco-2 cells was detected by immunofluorescence (h) or Western blot (i). Occludin and ZO-1 showed green fluorescence, and DAPI-stained nuclei showed blue fluorescence. Dates are expressed as the , ; ^#, ^## significantly different from the control. , significantly different from the control mycophenolic acid-treated cells.

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