Figure 3.

Ang2 synergistically induces astrocyte apoptosis with high glucose (HG; 25 mM glucose). The effects of Ang2 on the cell viability and apoptosis of astrocyte under HG condition were determined. Astrocytes were incubated for 48 h with Ang2 (300 ng/ml) under HG and compared with control (Con). (a) Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. Ang2 aggravated HG-induced cell death in astrocyte. (b) Western blot analysis for Bax and cleaved PARP were performed on lysates obtained from astrocytes with the same experimental setting. β-Tubulin was used as a loading control. (c) Astrocytes were stained with annexin-V FITC and PI, and analyzed by flow cytometry. Cell apoptosis was expressed as the percentage of apoptotic cells in total cell populations. HG induced astrocyte apoptosis and Ang2 aggravated that apoptosis. The bar graphs represent mean±S.E.M. of three independent experiments. HM, high mannitol (5 mM glucose+20 mM mannitol); NG, normal glucose (5 mM glucose). *P<0.05 by Student's t-test