Fig. 5.

Functional rescue experiments confirmed that PDCD4 is a downstream effector of miR-21 in P.g-LPS-challenged HUVECs. (a) Validation of the PDCD4 knockdown efficiency using siRNA and qRT-PCR. (b–d) Cell viability and proinflammatory cytokine measurements showing recovery in PDCD4-silenced cells co-treated with miR-21 inhibitors. (e–h) Apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry and TUNEL staining. (i–j) Wound healing assays illustrate the reversal of migration impairment caused by miR-21 inhibition of PDCD4 expression. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (n = 3). ∗P < 0.05. Abbreviations: HUVECs = human umbilical vein endothelial cells; P.g-LPS = Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide; qRT-PCR = quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; siRNA = small interfering RNA; TUNEL = terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling; PDCD4 = programmed cell death protein 4; miR-21 = microRNA-21.