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

Figure 6

Nuclear β-catenin increases in the lens cells of K14E6 transgenic mice. (a) Immunofluorescent detection of β-catenin (red signal) in the lens of 2-month-old NT and K14E6 transgenic mice. Merged signal (purple signal) shows nuclear β-catenin in the anterior epithelium (white arrows). (b) Immunohistochemical detection of β-catenin protein is indicated as a brown nuclear signal (black arrows). (c) mRNA expression of selected Wnt ligands assessed by RT-qPCR. Wnt4 ligand was the most overexpressed, and Wnt7a was the most subexpressed ligand in the K14E6 lens. The experiments were performed as triplicates (3 mice peer biological replica). Statistical significance: < 0.05, < 0.01, and < 0.001. Magnification: (a) and (b) (40x).

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