Figure 4.

Hesperidin prevented cellular apoptosis and reduced cell viability via the inhibition of PM_2.5-induced autophagy. Cells were pretreated with hesperidin (50 µM), BAF (10 nM), or both for 1 h, and then exposed to PM_2.5 (50 µg/mL) for another 24 h. (A) Autophagy was detected using images captured via fluorescence microscopy after staining with acridine orange. (B) Apoptotic bodies were observed using Hoechst 33342 staining, and the arrows indicate apoptotic bodies. Cell viability was assessed via (C) MTT assay and (D) trypan blue staining, and the arrows indicate the dead cells. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.05, and ^# p < 0.05 compared with BAF-untreated control cells, BAF-untreated PM_2.5-exposed cells, and BAF-untreated hesperidin + PM_2.5-exposed cells, respectively.