Figure 5.

NF-κB/AP-1 signaling may be associated with the inhibitory effects of Mtp on HUVEC oxidative stress and apoptosis. (A) MDA levels, and (B) SOD and (C) GSH-Px activities were determined using corresponding assay kits. (D) The TUNEL assay was performed to identify apoptotic cells (magnification, ×200). Blue-stained cells represent normal HUVECs and brown-stained cells indicate apoptotic cells. (E) The protein expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, cleaved-caspase 3 and caspase 3 were measured via western blotting. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 and ***P<0.001 vs. H₂O₂; ^#P<0.05, ^##P<0.01 and ^###P<0.001 vs. H₂O₂ + Mtp. AP-1, activator protein-1; Mtp, monotropein; HUVEC, human umbilical vein endothelial cell; MDA, malondialdehyde; SOD, superoxide dismutase; GSH-Px, glutathione peroxidase.