FIG. 4.

Knockdown of human antigen R (HuR) in astrocytes attenuates the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines 24 h after stretch injury. (A) Upper panel shows Western blot of astrocytes following transfection of HuR or control (Ctl) small interfering RNA (siRNA). Below is a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of cytokine messenger RNA levels in siRNA-treated astrocytes. (B) Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of cytokines in conditioned media from the injured astrocytes. All data points are the mean ± standard error of the mean of six independent samples, and values were expressed as a relative quantity (RQ) to the control siRNA. *p < 0.05. IL, interleukin; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase.