Fig. 3. MAARS knockdown decreases macrophage apoptosis.

Western blot quantification of cleaved caspase-8 (a) and cleaved caspase-3 (b) lysate from BMDMs transfected with MAARS-specific or control gapmeRs, and activated with TNF-alpha (50 ng ml⁻¹) for 18 h (n = 4). Western blot quantification of cleaved caspase-8 (c), cleaved caspase-9 (d), and cleaved caspase-3 (e) from lysates of BMDMs transfected with MAARS-specific or control gapmeRs, and activated for 2 h with 20 µM camptothecin (CPT; n = 3). f Cleaved caspase-3 and -8 expression in BMDMs transduced with lentivirus control or overexpressing MAARS (n = 3). g In vitro TUNEL staining of BMDMs transfected with MAARS-specific and control gapmeRs and activated with 20 µM CPT (n = 3; 25 images quantified per condition). h Quantification of apoLiveGlo cleaved caspase-3/7 enzymatic assay of BMDMs transfected with MAARS-specific and control gapmeRs and activated with or without CPT (20 µM) (n = 3) For all panels, values are mean ± SD; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001; ****p < 0.0001; *****p < 0.00001.