β-Carotene Attenuates Apoptosis and Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway in Necrotizing Enterocolitis Model Cells IEC-6

Figure 3

Protective effect of β-carotene is related to inhibited autophagy in LPS-treated IEC-6 cells. Cells were exposed to LPS (100 μM) for 3 h followed by incubation with β-carotene (10 μM) with or without RAPA (10 μM) for 24 h. (a) Cell viability measured by the CCK-8 assay. (b), (c) Apoptosis quantified by flow cytometry. (d)–(g) The protein expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3, LC3II/I, and p62 detected by Western blot. (h) The formation of GFP-LC3 puncta detected by immunofluorescence. The images were made at × 100 magnification. vs. the LPS group. ^## vs. the LPS + βC group.

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