Figure 6.

Effects of ML-7, a specific MLCK blocker, were studied after TNFα incubation using TEER measurements and Western blot analysis. (A) After 48 h, the groups treated solely with TNFα showed a significant difference in TEER compared to controls and cells treated with TNFα and ML-7 (one-way ANOVA, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001; n = 7–29). (B) Representative Western blot bands and (C) densitometry after 48 h with TNFα in the presence or absence of ML-7 revealed that the MLCK blocker prevented the TNFα-induced decrease in claudin-1 and -3, while the decrease in occludin was not affected. Furthermore, the TNFα-induced increase in TNFR-1 is also inhibited by ML-7. Data are presented as mean ± SEM (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01; n = 4).