Figure 5.
The regulation of leptin on the effects of fluoxetine in astrocytes. After RNA interfering the expression of leptin receptors or cfos with siRNA duplex, the primary cultured astrocytes were pre-treated with PBS (Control) or leptin, then the cells were treated with PBS or fluoxetine for 30 min to measure the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 or for 1 week to check the expression of the other proteins (A–C). Representative blots for the level of p-ERK1/2, cfos and BDNF were shown in (A). The average phosphorylation of ERK1 and ERK2 was quantified as the ratio between the p-ERK1 and ERK1 or p-ERK2 and ERK2, n = 6 (the left and middle panels of B), the average expression of cfos and BDNF were normalized by β-actin, n = 6 (the right panel of B and the left panel of C). The average BDNF level measured via ELISA was shown in (B), n = 6. *p < 0.05, statistically significant difference compared with any other group except for each other (B,C); **p < 0.05, statistically significant difference compared with any other group (B,C).