Fig. 4.

P2X7 induces mitophagy via AMPK activation. a BV-2 cells were silenced by siRNA against AMPK, and then stimulated with BzATP (200 μM) or nigericin (10 μM) for 1 h. Afterwards cells were stained with LC3 (indicator of autophagosome) and Tom 20 (indicator of mitochondria). The co-localization of LC3 and Tom 20 was quantified by Zen colocalization module program (b). In c and d, after silencing of AMPK or pretreatment with A438079 (10 μM), BV-2 cells were stimulated with BzATP, nigericin or FCCP (1 μM) for 2 h, and mitochondria mass was determined by mitotracker green. Data were the mean ± S.E.M. from 3 independent experiments. *p < 0.05, indicating the significant effects of BzATP and nigericin; #p < 0.05, indicating the blockade effect of A438079 or siAMPK