Figure 7.

Knockdown of NE in U937 cells with NE-shRNA. (A) Microscopic images of U937 cells transfected with shRNA-NC (left) and NE-shRNA, (right). Magnification, ×200. (B) The mRNA expression of NE was detected by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. NE-shRNA efficiently decreased the expression of NE in U937 cells. Values are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation. ^*P<0.05 vs. control. (C) The protein expression of NE was assessed by western blot analysis. The expression of NE was obviously decreased following transfection with NE-shRNA. Lanes: 1, NB4 cells; 2, NB4 cells transfected with LV5-NCs; 3, NB4 cells transfected with LV5-NE. shRNA-NC, negative control small hairpin RNA; shRNA-NE, small hairpin RNA targeting neutrophil elastase.