Figure 6. Albumin transport across the alveolar epithelium in RLE-TN6 cells treated with siRNA megalin.

A, megalin protein expression and suppression with megalin siRNA in RLE-6TN cells, n = 3. B, megalin expression in RLE-6TN cells 24 h after gene silencing with megalin siRNA. Megalin expression was detected by immunofluorescence: left, control transfected with 50 pm scrambled siRNA; right, transfected with 50 pm rat megalin siRNA. C, binding of ¹²⁵I-albumin to RLE-6TN cells was blocked by gene silencing of megalin (megalin siRNA) compared with control with scrambled RNA (ctrl). Binding of ¹²⁵I-albumin to the cell surface was assessed by measuring γ-radiation, 30 min after administration, n = 3. D, ¹²⁵I-albumin uptake by RLE-6TN cells 24 h after transfection with megalin siRNA. n = 3. E, transepithelial transport of ¹²⁵I-albumin across monolayers of RLE-6TN cells after transfection of megalin siRNA. Thirty minutes after administration of ¹²⁵I-albumin samples were taken from the basolateral side of the monolayer and the amount of ¹²⁵I-albumin was determined by measurement of γ-radiation, n = 3; data represent the mean ± SEM, ***P < 0.001.