Uncoupling Protein 2 Increases Susceptibility to Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury in Mice

Figure 4

UCP2 enhanced DNA damage and increased caspase-3 cleavage, cytochrome c release, and proapoptotic Bax protein expression but reduced Bcl-2 expression. (a) Western blot showed the expression of cleaved and total caspase-3 from lung tissues of mice in each group. (c) Western blot analysis detected the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and cytochrome c protein in each group. (b, d–f) Densitometric analysis of these proteins immunoreactive bands is shown as fold difference normalized to actin expression. (g) The percentage of apoptotic positive cells was detected by the TUNEL assay. (h) The mitochondrial ATP levels were measured by a luciferase-based assay after oligomycin (1 mg/kg) preinjection in mice. (i) Western blot analysis detected the expression of cleaved and total caspase-3. (j) Densitometric analysis of cleaved caspase-3 proteins immunoreactive bands is shown as fold difference normalized to actin expression. ( versus the UCP2-NC + saline group, versus the UCP2-NC + LPS group, versus the saline group, and versus the LPS group). Values are presented as means ± SEM ().

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