Figure 5

ILK expression in lymphocytes was significantly increased in diseased state and coincidented with increased cell survival. (A) Significantly increased ILK protein levels in ERU cases (n = 33) compared to healthy controls (n = 18) were verified and quantified by western blots (**p ≤ 0.01). ILK intensities were normalized to beta actin abundances on respective blots. Representative signal abundances are shown above respective columns. (B) PBL of healthy (biological n = 4, technical replicates n = 2) and ERU horses (biological replicates n = 6), which constitutively differed in ILK expression were cultured at 37 °C for 72 hours. Apoptosis rate was determined by measuring the amount of annexin V positive cells in flow cytometry. ERU horses (grey column), expressing ILK significantly higher (1.5-fold), showed a highly significantly reduced amount of apoptotic cells compared to healthy controls (white column) (**p ≤ 0.01). (C) In contrast, necrosis rate of lymphocytes, determined by the amount of PI positive cells, was not different between healthy controls (white column) and ERU cases (grey bar).