Deletion of resistin-like molecule-beta attenuates angiotensin II-induced abdominal aortic aneurysm

Figures

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  Figure 1. Effect of RELMβ gene deletion on the development of AAA and aortic wall composition in ApoE−/− mice (A), Representative abdominal aortic specimens in 4 groups of mice; (B), Incidence of AAA; (C), Maximal diameters of suprarenal aortas; (D), Classification of AAA; (E), Representative H&E and Verhoff staining. si-NC, si-negative control; si-R, si-RELMβ. *P <0.05 vs. saline group, #P <0.05 vs. si-R group. Scale bar: 100 μm.

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  Figure 2. Effect of RELMβ gene deletion on the infiltration of proinflammatory cells and expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines in vivo and in vitro (A), Representative MOMA-2, MCP-1 and IL-6 staining in 3 groups of mice; Scale bar: 100 μm. (B and C), Quantitative analysis of positive MOMA-2, MCP-1 and IL-6 staining; (D, E and F), Western blot analysis of protein expression of MCP-1 and IL-6 in 3 groups of mice and quantitative analysis. *P <0.05 vs. Ang II group; #P <0.05 vs. si-NC group. (G, H and I), Western blot analysis of protein expression of MCP-1 and IL-6 in macrophages and quantitative analysis.*P <0.05 vs. Ang II group; #P <0.05 vs. si-NC group.

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  Figure 3. Effect of RELMβ gene deletion on the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in vivo and in vitro (A), Representative immunohistochemical staining of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in 3 groups of mice; Scale bar: 100 μm. (B), Quantitative analysis of results in A; (C, D and E), Western blot analysis of protein expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in 3 groups of mice and quantitative analysis. *P <0.05 vs. Ang II group; #P <0.05 vs. si-NC group. (F, G and H), Western blot analysis of protein expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in macrophages and quantitative analysis. *P <0.05 vs. Ang II group; #P <0.05 vs. si-NC group.

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  Figure 4. Effect of rRELMβ stimulation on cytokine expression and MAPKs signaling pathway in vitro (A), Western blot analysis of protein expression of MCP-1, IL-6, MMP-2 and MMP-9; (B), Quantitative analysis of results in A; (C and D), Western blot analysis of P-ERK1/2 and total ERK1/2 (T-ERK1/2) and quantitative analysis of P-ERK1/2 normalized to T-ERK1/2 protein expression; (E and F), Western blot analysis of P-JNK and total JNK (T-JNK) and quantitative analysis of P-JNK normalized to T-JNK protein expression. *P <0.05 vs. control group.

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  Figure 5. Effect of RELMβ gene deletion on MAPKs signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro (A and B), Western blot analysis of P-ERK1/2 and T-ERK1/2 in 3 groups of mice and quantitative analysis; (C and D), Western blot analysis of P-JNK and T-JNK in 3 groups of mice and quantitative analysis; *P <0.05 vs. Ang II group; #P <0.05 vs. si-NC group. (E and F), Western blot analysis of P-ERK1/2 and T-ERK1/2 in macrophages and quantitative analysis; (G and H), Western blot analysis of P-JNK and T-JNK in macrophages and quantitative analysis. *P <0.05 vs. Ang II group; #P <0.05 vs. si-NC group.

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  Figure 6. Effect of MAPKs signaling pathway on cytokine expression after rRELMβ stimulation (A), Macrophages were pretreated with the inhibitors of ERK1/2 and JNK, then stimulated with rRELMβ. Western blot analysis of protein expression of MCP-1, IL-6, MMP-2 and MMP-9; (B), Quantitative analysis of results in A.*P <0.05 vs. control group.