Astragaloside IV reduces the protein expression levels of cleaved caspase-3. (A and B) The protein expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 in the rat brain and PC12 cells following different treatments were examined by western blotting. (A) Representative rat brain tissue western blot images from each group. (B) Relative protein expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 in the rat brain. n=3. *P<0.05 vs. Sham; #P<0.05 vs. MCAO/R. (C) Representative western blot images from each group of PC12 cells. (D) Relative expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 in PC12 cells. n=3. *P<0.05 vs. Control; #P<0.05 vs. OGD/R and NPS-2143. MCAO/R, middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion; OGD/R, oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation; CaSR, calcium-sensing receptor; AST-IV, MCAO/R or OGD/R + Astragaloside IV; NPS-2143, MCAO/R or OGD/R + CaSR antagonist.