FIG. 4.

Activation of an Shh-Wnt-EGF signaling cascade by engrafted UCB-MSCs. RQ-PCR analysis of (A) Smo and Gli-1, (B) Wnt, and (C) downstream growth factors at the indicated bladder tissues. Expression is represented as % Gapdh (as determined using five or more independent experiments) and is shown as the mean±SEM (P<0.05, P<0.01 in comparison with IC bladders, one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post-test). (D) Fluorescent immunohistochemical detection of non-phospho β-catenin protein in the indicated bladder tissues (magnification ×400). Nuclei were stained with DAPI. Notably, dense non-phospho β-catenin protein staining was mainly detected in the basal layer of urothelium of the IC+MSC group (arrow). Scale bar=20 μm. EGF, epidermal growth factor; RQ-PCR, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.