Fig. 5
THBS4 expression and apoptosis in VSMCs under different intensities of mechanical stretch. (A) THBS4 gene expression at stretch deformation 0,5,10 and 15%. Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation and measured by One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test for multiple comparisons. n = 3 experiments, p < 0.05, significant difference, #compared to stretch deformation 5%. (B) Quantification of THBS4 protein in HASMCs at stretch deformation 0, 5, 10 and 15%. Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation and measured by One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test for multiple comparisons. n = 3 experiments, p < 0.05, significant difference, ⊙compared to stretch deformation 15%. (C) The levels of THBS4 in HASMCs were detected by western blotting undert stretch deformation of 0, 5, 10 and 15%. The original blots are presented in Supplementary Fig. 15. (D) Apoptosis analysis of HASMCs at stretch deformation 0,5,10 and 15% was detected via flow cytometry analysis using Annexin V-APC and 7-AAD double staining. (E) Quantification of apoptotic cells by different stretch deformation. Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation and analyzed by One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test for multiple comparisons, n = 3 experiments, p < 0.05, significant difference, *compared to stretch deformation 0%, #compared to stretch deformation 5%.
