Figure 4 | Cell Death & Disease

Figure 4

From: Dickkopf1 destabilizes atherosclerotic plaques and promotes plaque formation by inducing apoptosis of endothelial cells through activation of ER stress

Figure 4

Time- and dose-dependent effects of ox-LDL treatment on the expression of DKK1 and attenuation of ox-LDL-induced apoptosis in HUVECs following DKK1 knockdown. (a–c) Quantification of DKK1 expression in HUVECs treated with ox-LDL (150 μg/ml) for various lengths of time: (a) DKK1 mRNA levels, n=3. (b) protein expression levels, n=6. (c) Levels in culture supernatant by ELISA, n=3. (d–f) Quantification of DKK1 expression in HUVECs treated for 6 h with various concentrations of ox-LDL: (d) DKK1 mRNA, n=3. (e) Protein expression levels, n=6. (f) Levels in culture supernatant by ELISA, n=3. (g–k) HUVECs were transiently transfected with negative control (NC) and DKK1 siRNA (si-DKK1) for 24 h and then treated with 150 μg/ml ox-LDL for 6 h. (g) Western blotting to quantify Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3 and DKK1 protein levels. n=6. (h,j) Flow cytometric analysis to quantify early apoptotic cells (i.e., Annexin V-positive and 7-AAD-negative cells, lower-right quadrant). n=3. (i,k) HUVECs with stained nuclei (green) were considered TUNEL-positive (red arrows). The percentage of TUNEL-positive cells was calculated and quantified. n=6. Data are shown as the mean±S.D. *P<0.05 versus the untreated group or NC; #P<0.05 versus NC+ ox-LDL

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