Figure 3. Expression of PTEN in lung fibroblasts after LPS challenge or PI3K inhibition.

PTEN mRNA (A and B, real-time PCR) and protein (C and D, Western blot) expression in lung fibroblasts at 72 hours after 1 µg/mL LPS challenge (A, C) or PI3K-Akt pathway inhibition (B, D). siRNA-mediated knockdown of TLR4 (1×10⁸ TU/mL for 48 hours) was used to assess the effect of TLR4 on PTEN expression in lung fibroblasts. Ly294002 (50 µmol/L for one hour) was applied to determine whether PTEN expression is regulated by PI3K activation. * p<0.05 vs. positive control group (A and C, Column 3). * p<0.05 vs. negative control group (B and D, Column 1); ^† p<0.05 vs. positive control group (Column 2). Columns represent mean values and error bars represent SD. Blots are representative of three independent experiments.