Figure 6.

PGC-1α shRNA abolished the therapeutic effects of the anti-TWEAK antibody on renal interstitial fibrosis. For experiments involving the inhibition of PGC-1α expression, MRL/lpr mice were treated with PGC-1α shRNA or control shRNA via renal pelvis injection at 11 weeks old; after 2 weeks, MRL/lpr mice were treated with 2 mg/kg anti-TWEAK antibody every other day for 56 days. (A) The mRNA levels of PGC-1α were detected using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (n = 5/group). (B) Masson’s trichrome and Sirius red staining were used to measure the deposition of collagen fibers in the renal interstitium (scale bar, 50 μm), and (C) the interstitial fibrosis scores were evaluated blindly by the same pathologist (n = 7/group). The expression levels of COL-I and fibronectin were measured using immunohistochemical staining (D) and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (E) (scale bar, 100 μm) (n = 5/group). (F) The levels of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were determined (n = 7/group). The results are expressed as mean ± SEM; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.