Fig. 3.

β-catenin mRNA production is not affected in vimentin (vim) −/− mice undergoing unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). qPCR primers for vim, β-catenin, and keratin 8 were designed and utilized to probe wild-type (WT) and vim −/− kidneys 1, 2, and 4 wk following UUO. qPCR readouts were normalized to ribosome 18 s (Rn18s) to account for variability in loading and then expressed as fold changes of the internal control, nonligated right kidney, for each individual mouse that was analyzed. Relative mRNA expression to Rn18s shows increase in vim expression at 1 and 2 wk following UUO in WT kidneys, whereas vim expression is detected relative to Rn18s 4 wk following UUO in the unligated WT control kidney (A). β-catenin RNA expression is not statistically significant among all kidneys 1, 2, and 4 wk following UUO (B). Keratin 8 mRNA levels are also increased 1 wk post-UUO in WT ligated kidneys. At 4 wk, there is an increase of keratin 8 when compared with the other samples (C). mRNA levels were then normalized against nonligated right kidney (taken as 1). Histogram shows the mRNA levels of ligated left kidney. Vim expression was detected 1 and 2 wk following UUO and decreased sharply 4 wk post-UUO (D). There is no statistical significance in the detection of β-catenin mRNA 1, 2, and 4 wk post-UUO between WT and vim −/− mice (E). Keratin 8 mRNA levels are slightly higher in vim −/− mice 2 and 4 wk post-UUO (F). Data are representative of n = 4 independent experiments. Error bars = Standard error; *P < 0.05.