FL3, a Synthetic Flavagline and Ligand of Prohibitins, Protects Cardiomyocytes via STAT3 from Doxorubicin Toxicity
Fig 5
FL3 protects H9c2 cardiomyocytes by acting on PHBs and their signaling target STAT3.
A. The histogram shows the percentage of apoptotic cells induced by doxorubicin (1 μM) among H9c2 control cells (transfected with nonspecific small interfering RNA [si-NT]) or the H9c2 cells where PHB1 or PHB2 were downregulated using specific small interfering RNA (siRNA). Knocking PHB1 or PHB2 down greatly diminished the cardioprotective effect of FL3 (100 nM; n = 4 to 5; *p < 0.05, compared to vehicle; **p < 0.05, compared to doxorubicin (doxo). B. The TUNEL assay shows the percentage of apoptotic cells in the 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-positive total cell population. C. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis shows the percentage of the maximum among annexin V-positive cells (n = 3; *p < 0.05, compared to vehicle; **p < 0.05, compared to doxorubicin treatment).