Transplantation of Human Urine-Derived Stem Cells Ameliorates Erectile Function and Cavernosal Endothelial Function by Promoting Autophagy of Corpus Cavernosal Endothelial Cells in Diabetic Erectile Dysfunction Rats

Figure 3

USCs protected CCECs from AGE-induced autophagic dysfunction in vitro and inhibition of autophagy attenuated the protective effect of USCs. (a) Western blot and (b–d) quantification for western blot of autophagy positive-related proteins (LC3 and Beclin1) and autophagy negative-related proteins (p62) in CCECs for each group. (e) Representative images of LC3 staining in CCECs for each group after infection with mRFP-GFP-LC3 adenovirus. Autophagosomes were shown as yellow puncta (RFP+GFP+), and autolysosomes were shown as red puncta (RFP+GFP-). (f, g) Quantification for autophagosome and autolysosome formation representing puncta staining sites per cell of 30 cells from each group. Treatment groups: control, BSA, AGEs, AGEs+USCs, and AGEs+USCs+3-MA. The concentration of BSA or AGEs was 200 μg/ml. The concentration of 3-MA was 2 mM, and the treat time was 24 h. . . C-caspase3: cleaved-caspase3; BSA: bovine serum albumin; AGEs: advanced glycation end products; 3-MA: 3-methyladenine.

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