Figure 6

The protein and mRNA expressions of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic biomarkers in kidney at 24-week after CKD induction A). Significantly higher protein expression of caspase 3 in groups 2 and 3 than in group 1. Further increase in group 4 than in groups 1, 2, and 3, but drastically reduced in group 5 compared with that in group 4. * vs. other groups, p < 0.0001. B) Significantly elevated protein expression of Bax in group 2 than in group 1. Further increase in group 3 than in group 2, and highest in group 4. Notable reduction in group 5 than in group 4. * vs. other groups, p < 0.0001. C) Remarkably suppressed protein expression of Bcl-2 in group 4 than in groups 2 and 3. Markedly reduced expression in groups 2, 3, and 4 than in groups 1 and 5. Note significant reduction in group 5 compared with group 1. * vs. other groups, p < 0.0001. D) Significantly higher mRNA expression of caspase 3 in group 2 than in group 1. Notably increased expression in groups 3 and 4 than in group 2, but significantly reduced in group 5 compared with groups 3 and 4. * vs. other groups, p < 0.001. E) Markedly increased mRNA expression of Bax in group 2 than in group 1, further increased in groups 3 and 4 than in groups 1 and 2, but significantly reduced in group 5 than in groups 2 to 4. * vs. other groups, p < 0.0001. F) Remarkably lower mRNA expression of Bcl-2 in groups 3 and 4 than in group 2, and notably lower in group 2 than in groups 1 and 5. Significantly lower expression in group 5 than in group 1. * vs. other groups, p < 0.001. All statistical analyses using one-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni multiple comparison post hoc test. Symbols (*, †, ‡, §) indicate significance (at 0.05 level) (n = 10 in each group).