Fig. 2: Delayed IPC alleviated ischemic AKI.

a Schematic diagram depicting the animal treatment procedure. b Measurement of serum creatinine levels showed that ischemic AKI was alleviated by delayed IPC (N = 5–6). c Representative images of renal H&E (×10 magnification) and TUNEL staining (×20 magnification). Histopathological scores (d) (N = 5–6) and apoptotic rates (e) (N = 3) were lower in the IPC+I/R group than those in the Sham+I/R group. f, g Delayed IPC upregulated miR-21 and downregulated GAS5 and TSP-1 levels induced by renal I/R injury (N = 5–6). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 vs. the Sham+I/R group. Scale bars, 100 μm.