Figure 9.

MBL prompts senescence of HSCs in vitro. LX-2 cells were treated with MBL (10 μg/mL) and/or H₂O₂ (300 μmol/L) for 48 hours. (A) Representative images of the SA–β-gal staining of LX-2 cells treated with or without MBL and/or H₂O₂. (B) The distribution of cell cycle on the treated LX-2 cells with flow cytometry analysis. (C) The p53 and p21 protein levels were assessed by Western blot analysis. (D) The mRNA levels of senescence-related genes were assessed by quantitative reverse-transcription (qRT)-PCR analysis. (E) The mRNA levels of fibrosis-associated genes were assessed by qRT-PCR analysis. (F) The apoptosis on the treated LX-2 cells with flow cytometry analysis. Scale bars: 100 μm. Data are presented as means ± SEM. ∗P < .05, ∗∗ P < .01, 1-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey post hoc tests for multiple group comparisons. The data shown represent 3 independent experiments. CON, control; CXCL, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand; HPF, high-power field; IL, interleukin; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase; TIMP1, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 1.