HPV16-E6 Oncoprotein Activates TGF- and Wnt/-Catenin Pathways in the Epithelium-Mesenchymal Transition of Cataracts in a Transgenic Mouse Model

Figure 5

E6 oncoprotein increases metalloproteinase production and activity. (a) Western blot analyses of MMP2 in total lens extract of NT and K14E6 mice. (b) Zymogram analyses of MMP9 and MMP2 proteins in total lens extract or aqueous humour (c) in the lens of NT and K14E6 mice. Gelatin degradation was monitored by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) 8% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and Coomassie blue staining as described in Materials and Methods. Statistical significance: < 0.05. MWM: molecular weight marker; Neg: negative control (no sample was included). The experiments were performed as triplicates, and a pool of nine mice of each strain was considered as a biological replica in the zymogram assay.

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