FIGURE 8.

Mouse islets expressing different NR4A1 levels determines their ability to resist TG- or PA-induced apoptosis. A, genotype confirmation of global NR4A1 knock-out mice (KO) and wild-type mice (WT) using RT-PCR to analyze their islets. B and C, TUNEL assay of islet cells from KO and WT mice treated with 0.5 μm TG (B) or o.4 mm PA (C) for 20 h. Blue represents DAPI, and red represents the apoptotic cells. D and E, TUNEL assay of islet cells from wild-type mice infected with Ad-GFP or Ad-NR4A1 after treated with 0.5 μm TG (D) or o.4 mm PA (E) for 20 h. Green represents GFP, and red represents the apoptotic cells. The histograms were made to assess relative fluorescence intensity (=total red densitometry value/islet surface area). The data show the means of three independent experiments; *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001 versus WT or Ad-GFP. F, a model for possible roles of NR4A1 in protecting ER stress induced pancreatic β-cell apoptosis.