Figures & data
Figure 1. Apelin promoted the retinal fibrogenesis in the DM rats.
(A)The HE staining of the retinal tissues of the DM rats. (B) The immunofluorescence staining of the retinal tissues of the DM rats. (C-H) The western blot results showed the protein levels of Apelin, GFAP, Collagen I and α-SMA were enhanced in the DM rats. The visual acuity (I) and contrast sensitivity (J) of the DW rats were measured. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.
Figure 2. HG stimulation promoted the production of extracellular matrix markers in the MIO-M1 cells.
(A-B) The western blot results showed that HG stimulation enhanced the protein levels of Apelin in the MIO-M1 cells. (C-F) The western blot results showed that HG stimulation enhanced the protein levels of GFAP, Collagen I and α-SMA in the MIO-M1 cells. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.
Figure 3. Apelin knockdown inhibited the production of extracellular matrix markers in the HG stimulated MIO-M1 cells.
(A-C) Si-Apelin 1# and 2# transfection declined the mRNA and protein levels of Apelin. (D-G) The western blot results showed that si-Apelin transfection declined the protein levels of GFAP, Collagen I and α-SMA in the HG stimulated MIO-M1 cells. ***P < 0.001, ##P < 0.01.
Figure 4. Apelin knockdown inhibited the production of extracellular matrix marker in vivo.
(A-C) LV-sh-Apelin declined the mRNA and protein levels of Apelin. (D) The HE staining of the retinal tissues of the DM rats. (E) The immunofluorescence staining of Apelin in retinal tissues of the DM rats. (F) The immunohistochemistry staining of Collagen I in retinal tissues of the DM rats. (G-J) The western blot results showed that the protein levels of GFAP, Collagen I and α-SMA in the retinal tissues of the DM rats were prominently decreased after Apelin knockdown. The visual acuity (K) and contrast sensitivity (L) of the DW rats were measured. ***P < 0.001, ##P < 0.01.
Figure 5. Apelin modulated the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway in the HG stimulated MIO-M1 cells.
The effects of Apelin on the JAK2/STAT3 (A-C), Wnt/β-catenin (D-F), and NFκB (G-H) signalling pathway in the MIO-M1 cells were detected by western blot. (J-L) After si-Apelin transfection, the protein levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in the HG stimulated MIO-M1 cells were assessed with western blot. ***P < 0.001, ##P < 0.01.
Figure 6. Activation of JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway neutralised the role of si-Apelin in the HG stimulated MIO-M1 cells.
(A-C) Apelin transfection enhanced the mRNA and protein levels of Apelin. After Apelin and FLLL32 treatment, (D-F) the protein levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in the HG stimulated MIO-M1 cells were assessed with western blot. (G-J) The protein levels of GFAP, Collagen I and α-SMA in the HG stimulated MIO-M1 cells were assessed with western blot. ***P < 0.001, ##P < 0.01, &P < 0.05.
Availability of data and materials
All data included in this study are available upon request by contact with the corresponding author.