Figure 2.

Leptin induces the activation of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3), pERK1/2 (phosphorylated extracellular signal–regulated kinases 1/2), pFAK (phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase), and vinculin in Sca-1⁺ adventitial progenitor cells. A and B, The presence of leptin receptor b (OBRb) in Sca-1⁺ progenitor cells was confirmed by performing conventional polymerase chain reaction (n=4). C and D, The presence of OBRb in Sca-1⁺ progenitor cells was confirmed by Western blotting (n=7). E and F, The activation of pSTAT3 was detected by performing Western blotting on Sca-1⁺ progenitor cells in response to 100 ng/mL of leptin (n=6). G and H, The activation of pERK1/2 was detected by performing Western blotting on Sca-1⁺ progenitor cells in response to 100 ng/mL of leptin (n=10). I and J, Immunofluorescence was performed on Sca-1⁺ progenitor cells in response to 100 ng/mL of leptin for the detection of pFAK (n=5) and vinculin (n=5). Dashed boxes represent magnified fields. Red arrows indicate the activated proteins (scale bars, 3 and 1 μm). Untreated cells served as a control. Images shown are representative of at least 3 independent experiments.