Fig. 2: Activation TGFBR1/TAK1 pathway-mediated inflammation and vascular calcification were observed in rats with CKD.

Wistar rats were fed either chow diet or high-phosphate diet in the absence or presence of 0.75% adenine to induce chronic kidney disease for 4 weeks, all rats were fed for another 4 weeks to form vascular calcification (n = 8 per group). a Representative images of alizarin red staining and von Kossa staining of aortic roots or aortic ring in indicated groups (scale bar, 500 μm). b Calcified lesion areas of aortic in indicated groups. c Aortic calcium content analysis in indicated groups. d Representative images of micro-CT, arrows indicate calcified nodules. e Representative immunofluorescence staining of NF-κB (red) and TNF-α (green) of aortic roots in indicated groups (scale bar, 500 μm). f Western blot analysis of NF-κB and TNF-α expression in aortas in indicated groups. g Western blot analysis of the expression of TAK1, p-TAK1, TAB1, and p-IκBα in high-adenine diet-fed rats (HAD group, n = 8 per group). **P < 0.01, ns indicates not significant.