FIGURE 5.

Effects of inhibition of P38 on HT embryonic development. (A) Blastocyst rate after HT exposure at 39.5 and 40.5°C. The rate decreased significantly in both HT groups compared with the control group. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01. (B) Western blotting result of ATF7 protein expression after HT exposure in the 4C stage. (C) Western blotting result of pATF7 protein expression after HT exposure in the 4C stage. (D) Band intensity analysis of ATF7 and pATF7 after HT exposure at 39.5°C. The expression level of pATF7 protein was increased significantly in the HT group compared with the control group and the expression level of ATF7 protein was decreased significantly. *p < 0.05; ***p < 0.001 (E) Blastocyst rate after HT exposure at 39.5°C and treatment with SB202190 at 0.1 and 0.5 μM. The rate decreased significantly in the HT 39.5°C group compared with the control group. The blastocyst rate increased significantly in the HT + SB202190 0.1 μM group compared with the HT group. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01. (F) Western blots showing pATF7, P38, and pP38 protein expression after HT exposure in the 4C stage. (G and H) Band intensity analysis of pATF7 and ratio of pP38/P38 after HT exposure at 39.5°C and treatment with SB202190 at 0.1 μM. Expression of pATF7 protein expression and the pP38/P38 ratio increased significantly in the HT group compared with the control group. The expression of pATF7 protein and the pP38/P38 ratio decreased significantly in the HT + SB202190 0.1 μM group compared with the HT group. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01