FIGURE 4.

Epo stimulated ZO-1 expression via the PI3K/Akt pathway in human fetal immature IEC. A, effect of inhibitors on Epo regulation of ZO-1 expression in immature IEC. H4 cells were left untreated or pretreated with inhibitors as indicated for 30 min and then together with 0.1 unit/ml Epo for another 24 h. Cell lysates were collected and subjected to immunoblotting for ZO-1 and β-actin. B, Epo activated the Akt pathway in immature IEC. H4 cells were treated with 0.1 unit/ml Epo for various periods of time as indicated and then lysed. Lysates were used for immunoblotting for p-Akt, total Akt, p-JNK, total JNK, p-ERK1/2, and total ERK1/2. Representative immunoblots from three experiments with similar results are shown. Data from three experiments are presented as mean ± S.E. relative to controls in percentage. * depicts statistical significance with a p value <0.05, by one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni correction