Fig. 2: ELK-1 is involved in SiO2-induced EMT and TGF-β production. | Laboratory Investigation

Fig. 2: ELK-1 is involved in SiO2-induced EMT and TGF-β production.

From: Elk-1 transcriptionally regulates ZC3H4 expression to promote silica-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition

Fig. 2

a Representative western blots showing that transfection downregulates ELK-1 expression in MLE-12 cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. b Densitometric analyses of five separate experiments suggest that transfection with ELK-1 double nickase plasmid (ELK-1 NIC) downregulates ELK-1 expression in MLE-12 cells; *p < 0.05 vs. the control group. c CCK8 assay showing the effects of SiO2 on the viability of MLE-12 cells in a time-dependent manner.*p < 0.05 vs. the 0-h group. d Representative western blots showing that downregulating ELK-1 inhibits SiO2-induced increase in Col I and TGF-β expression, while reverses the SiO2-induced decrease in E-cad expression in MLE-12 cells. e Densitometric analyses of five independent experiments showing Col I, TGF-β, and E-cad expression (n = 5); *p < 0.05 vs. the control group; #p < 0.05 vs. the SiO2 group. f Representative immunofluorescence staining images demonstrating that SiO2 decreases the expression of E-cad and increases the expression of Col I in MLE-12 cells. While CRISPR/Cas9-mediated ELK-1 silencing attenuates the SiO2-induced increase in Col I expression and ameliorates the SiO2-induced decrease in E-cad expression. The arrowhead indicates the morphology change induced by SiO2. Scale bar = 20 μm.

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