Figure 7
Nrf2 is required for minocycline-mediated protection from diabetic nephropathy.
(a–c) Nrf2 deficiency (Nrf2−/−) abolishes minocycline’s inhibitory effect on Nlrp3 (a), cl-IL1β (b) and glomerular 8-Oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-Oxo-dG) (c) induction in diabetic C57BL/6 mice (DM). (d,e) Minocycline fails to reduce albuminuria (d) and fractional mesangial area (FMA, representative PAS-stained histological images, e) in Nrf2−/− mice. (f) Glucose levels are comparable in diabetic Nrf2−/− mice without (DM) or with (DM + Mino) minocycline application. Representative immunoblots (a) and bar graphs summarizing results (b–d,f). Representative 8-Oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-Oxo-dG) stained images detected by HRP-DAB reaction, brown; hematoxylin counterstain, blue; size bar: 20 μm (c,e). Ctrl indicates non-diabetic Nrf2−/− control mice. Mean value ± SEM (b–f); *P < 0.05, ns: non-significant (b–e: t-test). Number of mice in each group is shown in parentheses in (a); (a) representative cropped image without further modification is shown; exemplary uncropped images are provided in Supplementary Fig. 6.
