Apelin Protects Primary Rat Retinal Pericytes from Chemical Hypoxia-Induced Apoptosis

Figure 8

Effect of apelin on hypoxia-induced apoptosis in rat retinal pericytes. (a) Active-caspase 3 protein level significantly increased 12 h after hypoxia injury (). Apelin significantly decreased its levels after hypoxia injury (). (c and e) Effects of apelin on Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression in rat retinal pericytes. Cells were incubated with apelin and LV-apelin knockout under hypoxia. Western blot analysis was quantitated by densitometry of autoradiographs, and the relative mean ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was increased in apelin group ( versus con.) and reduced in Lv-apelin knockdown group ( versus con.).

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)