Figure 3.

H₂O₂‐activated p38MAPK promotes RGC apoptosis by activating p53 and inhibiting Nrf2. (A–L and T) RGCs were pretreated with the p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580 (100 μM), SB239063 (100 μM), or vehicle for 10 min and then treated with H₂O₂ (500 μM) or vehicle for 30 min. The levels of p38MAPK, p‐p38MAPK, p53, p‐p53, Nrf2, p‐Nrf2, STAT3, p‐STAT3, and apoptosis‐related proteins Bcl‐2, C‐caspase‐3, and Bax were determined by Western blot analysis. Data were normalized to GAPDH. n = 3, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. NS means no significant difference (P > 0.05). (M–P) RGCs transfected with siNrf2 or SCR were pretreated with the p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580 (100 μM) or vehicle for 10 min and then treated with H₂O₂ (500 μM) or vehicle for 30 min. The levels of p38MAPK, p‐p38MAPK, Nrf2, p‐Nrf2, STAT3, and p‐STAT3 were determined by Western blot analysis. Data were normalized to GAPDH. n = 3, *P < 0.05. NS means no significant difference (P > 0.05).