Treatment with NOC-9 decreases phosphorylation of Akt at Ser473 and Thr308, and inhibition of Akt signaling decreases SOX2 mRNA in NES cells. (A) Representative experiments of Western blotting for phospho-Akt Ser473 and Thr308. NOC-9 (500 µM) was administered at time 0, and the results show the effects at the indicated time points after NOC-9 administration. Representative experiment of qRT-PCR for SOX2 mRNA in NES cells treatedwith (B) LY294002 for 24 hours or (C) a specific Akt siRNA for 48 hours; gels demonstrate semiquantitative RT-PCR showing Akt knockdown by siRNA at 48 hours. Bar graphs represent the mean ±SEM. *, p ≤ 0.05 compared to non-treated control; **, p ≤ 0.01 compared to non-treated control; ***, p ≤ 0.001 compared to non-treated control.