Fig. 5.

15-Hydoxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase inhibitor promoted adenosine production and upregulated the expression of adenosine A_2A receptors in the renal arterioles in the outer medulla via the cAMP/AMP signaling pathway. Assessments were performed at 24 h after renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). A and B: statistical analysis of cAMP (A) and AMP levels (B) in kidney tissue. n = 12–18 animals/group. C and D: statistical analysis of renal (C) and serum (D) adenosine levels. n = 6–10 animals/group. E: Western blots for A_2A receptor protein (45 kDa) in kidney tissue (representative of three experiments). F: statistical analysis of A_2A receptor protein levels in kidney tissue (n = 9 per group). G: representative confocal microscopy images of kidneys immunostained for A_2A receptor and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). A_2A receptor-positive cells were observed in α-SMA-positive cells in the renal arteriolar outer medulla (yellow color). *α-SMA-positive renal arterioles in the outer medullar. Scale bars = 25 μm. Data are presented as means ± SE. Analysis was performed using Student’s t test.