Melatonin Alleviates Acute Kidney Injury by Inhibiting NRF2/Slc7a11 Axis-Mediated Ferroptosis

Figure 4

Melatonin improves mitochondrial function and inhibits ferroptosis in the IR-induced acute kidney injury. (a) Renal tissues were imaged using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Red arrows indicate mitochondrial cristae disappearance and outer membrane rupture. . (b) Western blot analysis of mitochondrial proteins and their relative protein levels of UCP2 (c) and MFN2 (d). (e) Renal relative PGC-1a and TFAM levels were evaluated by RT-PCR. (f) Quantification of mRNA levels of Acsl4, Cox-2, and GPX4 kidney tissue by real-time PCR. (g) Western blots of NRF2, Slc7a11, and GPX4 proteins and their relative protein levels of NRF2 (h), Slc7a11 (i), and GPX4 (j). Data represent the of six mice in each group. compared to the Sham and Sham+MT (20 mg/kg) groups. compared to the IR-treated group.

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