FIGURE 6.

Depletion of IRE1α in HK‐2 cells reduces the expression of pSTAT3, the release of ECM and the proliferation of co‐cultured HRMC. HK‐2 cells depleted of IRE1α or vehicle‐infected HK‐2 cells subjected to or not to hypoxia for 4 h were co‐cultured with HRMC for 24 h in trans‐well pates under normal culture conditions. A, Representative western blots of pSTAT3, FN, Col IV, and β‐actin (loading control). B, Quantitative analysis of western blots of pSTAT3, FN, and Col IV. C, Representative immunofluorescence images of FN, COL IV and DAPI. D, qRT‐PCR analysis of FN, COL4A1 and ACTB (internal control). E, CCK‐8 analysis of the proliferation of HRMC. Con: HK‐2 cells without H/R; H/R 24 h: HK‐2 cells with 4 h of hypoxia followed by 24 h reoxygenation; IRE1α ShRNA: IRE1α shRNA‐infected HK‐2 cells; Vehicle: vehicle‐infected HK‐2 cells. (**P < .01, ***P < .001, ****P < .0001)