Figure 4. The attenuating effects of Msi1 knockdown on Hh signaling in MSC proliferation and apoptosis.

Cells were treated with or without 4 µM purmorphamine and transfected with or without 50 nM Msi1 siRNA. The cell proliferation levels were then evaluated by direct cell counting, and apoptosis levels were assessed with a TUNEL assay and western blotting. Purmorphamine increased cell proliferation (A) and decreased TUNEL-positive cell numbers (B), while the 50 nM Msi1 siRNA transfection produced the opposite effects. The knockdown of Msi1 attenuated the above effects of purmorphamine treatment. The blue staining (DAPI) identifies cell nuclei. The results are shown as the mean ± SD from three independent experiments. * P<0.05, ** P<0.01, and *** P<0.001.