Pterostilbene Attenuates Fructose-Induced Myocardial Fibrosis by Inhibiting ROS-Driven Pitx2c/miR-15b Pathway

Figure 3

Pterostilbene and allopurinol downregulate p-p53 to inhibit TGF-β1/Smads signaling activation in fructose-fed rat hearts and fructose-exposed H9c2 cells. Protein levels of p-p53 were measured in fructose-fed rat hearts (a) and fructose-exposed H9c2 cells (b) (), respectively. Protein levels of TGF-β1, p-Smad2/3, and Smad4 were measured in fructose-fed rat hearts (c–f) and fructose-exposed H9c2 cells (g–j) (), respectively. Cellular protein levels of TGF-β1 (k), p-Smad2/3 (l, m), and Smad4 (n) were determined in p53 siRNA-transfected H9c2 cells coincubated with 5 mM fructose, 10 μM pterostilbene, and 30 μM allopurinol (), respectively. Relative protein levels of TGF-β1 and Smad4 were normalized to GAPDH and of p-Smad2/3 were normalized to Smad2/3, respectively. Data are expressed as the ^##, ^### vs. normal animal control group or normal cell control group; , , and vs. fructose-vehicle animal group or fructose-vehicle cell group or fructose-vehicle+p53 siRNA control cell group.

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