Dexmedetomidine Protects Cardiomyocytes against Hypoxia/Reoxygenation Injury by Suppressing TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB Signaling

Figure 2

DEX pretreatment suppresses TLR4-NF-κB signaling in cardiomyocytes exposed to H/R. TLR4 and nuclear NF-κB p65 protein expression in H9C2 cells and rat neonatal cardiomyocytes was assessed by Western blot analysis (a–d). GAPDH and lamin B were used as a loading control for total and nuclear protein expression, respectively. Data are expressed as means ± SEM ( = 3 per group). < 0.05, < 0.01 versus control group; < 0.05, < 0.01 versus H/R group. Representative images showing the distributions of NF-κB (red) in immunoreactive H9C2 cells (e). DAPI was used to stain nuclei. Magnification, 400x; scale bars = 10 μm.

(a) H9C2 cells

(b) Neonatal cardiomyocytes

(c) H9C2 cells

(d) Neonatal cardiomyocytes

(e) Immunoreactive H9C2 cells