Fig. 3. Deficiency of ATG7-dependent autophagy inhibits proliferation and facilitates oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of NHEM.

a Cell number of NHEM transfected with control shRNA, ATG7 shRNA, empty vector, or lentivirus ATG7, which were treated with or without hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and ultraviolet B (UVB) for different durations of time. b NHEM transfected with control shRNA or ATG7 shRNA were stimulated with H₂O₂ (500 μM) for 24 h or UVB irradiation (12 mW/cm²) for 80 s. Levels of apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry assay. c Percentage of apoptotic cells in transfected NHEM, which were stimulated with H₂O₂ or UVB. d Representative images of western blotting of PARP, cleaved PARP, caspase 3, and cleaved caspase 3 in NHEM transfected with control shRNA or ATG7 shRNA, which were stimulated with H₂O₂ (500 μM) for 24 h or UVB (12 mW/cm²) for 80 s. GAPDH was used as a protein loading control. e Statistical analysis of western blotting data of cleaved PARP/PARP and cleaved caspase 3/caspase 3 in NHEM transfected with control shRNA or ATG7 shRNA with or without H₂O₂ and UVB. Data are presented as mean ± SD, n = 3 in each group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. f NHEM transfected with empty vector or lentivirus ATG7 were treated with H₂O₂ (500 μM) for 24 h or UVB (12 mW/cm²) for 80 s. Levels of apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry assay. g Percentage of apoptotic cells in transfected NHEM, which were stimulated with H₂O₂ or UVB. h Representative images of western blotting of cleaved PARP/PARP and cleaved caspase 3/caspase 3 in NHEM transfected with empty vector or lentivirus ATG7, which were stimulated with H₂O₂ (500 μM) for 24 h or UVB (12 mW/cm²) for 80 s. GAPDH was used as a protein loading control. i Statistical analysis of western blotting data of cleaved PARP/PARP and cleaved caspase 3/caspase 3 in NHEM transfected with empty vector or lentivirus ATG7 with or without H₂O₂ and UVB. Data are presented as mean ± SD, n = 3 in each group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ns, nonsignificant.