Mesenchymal Stem Cells Inhibit Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition by Modulating the IRE1α Branch of the Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response

Figure 9

MSCs attenuated ER stress and EMT in the lungs of mice with lung fibrosis. (a) The mRNA expression levels of E-cadherin and Vimentin in lung tissues were measured using Q-PCR (n = 5, one-way ANOVA with Duncan’s post hoc test). (b) The protein expression levels of E-cadherin and vimentin in lung tissues were measured using western blotting, and the results were quantified via densitometry by using ImageJ software (n = 3, one-way ANOVA with Duncan’s post hoc test). (c) The mRNA expression levels of Bip, Atf6, Atf4, Xbp-1s, Ire1α and Chop in lung tissues were measured using Q-PCR (n = 5, one-way ANOVA with Duncan’s post hoc test). (d) The protein expression levels of ATF6, ATF4, IRE1α, p-IRE1α, XBP-1s, XBP-1u, BiP and CHOP in lung tissues were measured using western blotting, and the results were quantified via densitometry by using ImageJ software (n = 3, one-way ANOVA with Duncan’s post hoc test). (e) Images of immunofluorescence staining of BiP (green) and vimentin (red) in the lung tissues of mice. Scale bar, 100 μm. The data are shown as the means ± SEMs (, vs. the control group; ^#, ^## vs. the BLM group).

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