Figure 5.

CSC exposure stimulates gelatinase activity in pAECs through the RAGE pathway. (A) Transcription of MMP2 and MMP9 gelatinases were measured by RT-qPCR into pAECS after 48 h of CSC treatment (100 µg/mL), whether combined or not with RAP (12.7 µg/mL) (n = 8). (B) Gelatinase activity was studied by a zymography kit assay on pAECs cell media after 48 and 72 h (with 48 h re-treatment) of CSC treatment (n = 5). Statistical analysis was performed using a Kruskal–Wallis one-way ANOVA test, followed by a Dunn’s post-test. * means p < 0.05, ** means p < 0.01, *** means p < 0.001, and “ns” means “not significant”. Results are presented in Tukey boxes, and means are indicated by “+”. Black dots indicate values outside of the Tukey boxes.