Fig. 7. Proteasome subunit β5i knockout enhanced the inhibiting effects of apelin on EMT of podocytes in glomeruli of diabetic mice.

a Representative staining for α-SMA and synaptopodin in STZ-treated C57 and β5i knockout (β5iKO) mice with or without apelin treatment as quantified in (c) using unpaired Student’s t test (n = 6 mice per group, *p < 0.05). Scale bars represent 50 μm. b Representative staining for TGFβ and synaptopodin in STZ-treated C57 and β5i knockout (β5iKO) mice with or without apelin treatment as quantified in (d) using unpaired Student’s t test (n = 6 mice per group, *p < 0.05). Scale bars represent 50 μm. e Representative images of western blot for EMT markers and TGF/Smad pathway in glomeruli. f–j Quantification of EMT markers and TGF/Smad pathway in (e). k Representative Masson staining in kidney sections from STZ-treated C57 and β5i knockout (β5iKO) mice with or without apelin treatment as quantified in (l) using unpaired Student’s t test (n = 6 mice per group, *p < 0.05). Scale bars represent 50 μm