FIGURE 4.

BCL2 interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) repression in old mice enhances inflammation and muscle atrophy. (a) Representative Western blot (WB) and quantification of BNIP3 protein expression in control (C) and BNIP3 knockdown (BNIP3 KD) gastrocnemius muscle from 22 to 24‐month‐old mice (old mice) (n = 9). (b) BNIP3 messenger RNA (BNIP3 mRNA) levels in C and BNIP3 KD gastrocnemius muscle from old mice (n = 8–10). (c) Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) levels in C and BNIP3 KD muscle from old mice (n = 4–5). (d) Representative WB and quantification of NLRP3 (nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain (NOD)‐, leucine‐rich repeat (LRR)‐, and pyrin domain‐containing protein 3) inflammasome components and p65 protein in C and BNIP3 KD gastrocnemius muscle from old mice (n = 5–8). (e) Cross‐sectional area (CSA) quantification from C and BNIP3 KD gastrocnemius muscle from old mice (n = 4). (f) Nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) target gene messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in C and BNIP3 KD muscle from old mice (n = 9). (g) mRNA expression of several atrogenes in C and BNIP3 KD muscle from old mice (n = 9). Data are expressed as mean ± SE. *p < 0.05