Fig. 4.

Effect of BK on inflammatory signals in podocytes (a) BK stimulated COX-2 protein expression in podocytes. Quiescent podocytes were stimulated with BK (10⁻⁷M) for 3, 6, and 24 h, and with PMA (10⁻⁶M) and DMSO was used as vehicle and did not exceed 0.1% (10⁻⁶ M). Bar graph represents the fold change in COX-2 protein levels (*p-value = 0.008 vs, control; +p-value = 0.05 vs DMSO) and correspond to the average of 3 or more separate experiments. (b) BK stimulated PGE₂ release in podocytes. Quiescent podocytes were stimulated with BK (10⁻⁷ M) for 3, 6, and 24 h. Bar graph represents the fold change in measured PGE₂ levels (*p < 0.001 BK 6 h vs Control, +p < 0.001 BK 24 h vs Control), and is the sum of 3 or more separate experiments. (c) Ibuprofen inhibits BK-stimulated PGE₂ release in podocytes. Quiescent podocytes were stimulated with BK (10⁻⁷ M) for 6 h in the presence and absence of Ibuprofen (10⁻⁶ M). PGE₂ levels were measured by EIA. Bar graph represents the fold change in measured PGE₂ levels (*p < 0.016 BK 6 h vs Control, +p = 0.016 BK 6 h-IB vs BK 6 h) and is the average of at least 3 separate experiments.