Journal: iScience
Article Title: Combined HIF-1α blockade and CHIR99021 treatment reverses pulmonary fibrosis via modulation endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition
doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114028
Figure Lengend Snippet: Combination treatment of CHIR99021 and 2-ME reverses radiation-induced fibrotic changes, reducing persistent DNA damage in endothelial cells and fibroblasts (A) Schematic representation of irradiation and CHIR99021 treatment in HUVECs. HUVECs were treated with CHIR99021 (3 μM) after 3 days of irradiation (10 Gy). Immunofluorescence staining for phalloidin and VE-cadherin detection was performed 6 days post-irradiation (magnification: 400×). Scale bars = 20 μm. Bar graphs quantify phalloidin intensity. (B) Schematic representation of 2-ME and CHIR99021 treatment and irradiation in HUVECs. HUVECs were irradiated (10 Gy) and treated with 2-ME (0.5 μM) after 2 days, followed by CHIR99021 (3 μM) after 3 days. Immunofluorescence staining and quantification of γH2AX in HUVECs was performed 5 days post-irradiation (magnification: 400×); Scale bars = 10 μm; scale bar of cropped images = 5 μm. Dot graph quantifies the number of γH2AX foci in more than 100 cells. (C) Schematic representation of irradiation (10 Gy), 2-ME (0.5 μM), CHIR99021 (3 μM), and hrVEGF (30 ng/mL) treatment in HUVECs. Cell morphology and phalloidin immunofluorescence staining were performed 11 days post-irradiation (magnification: 200×). Scale bars = 300 μm. Bar graphs quantify phalloidin intensity. (D) Immunofluorescence staining and quantification of OCT4, Sox2, and Nanog in HUVECs 11 days post-irradiation (magnification: 400×). Scale bars = 5 μm. Dot graph quantifies OCT4, Sox2, and Nanog intensity in more than 100 cells. (E) HUVECs, irradiated for 48 h, were cultured on Matrigel-coated plates for 3 h in the presence of CHIR99021, 2-ME, CHIR99021+2-ME, or medium only as a control (magnification: 40×). Scale bars = 20 μm. Bar graphs quantify the number of tubes formed. (F) Schematic representation of irradiation (10 Gy) and 2-ME (0.5 μM) and CHIR99021 (3 μM) treatment in HPFs. Cell morphology and phalloidin immunofluorescence staining were performed 11 days post-irradiation (magnification: 200×). Scale bars = 300 μm. Bar graphs quantify phalloidin intensity (right panels). (G) Immunofluorescence staining and quantification of γH2AX in HPFs 11 days post-irradiation (magnification: 400×). Scale bars = 5 μm. Dot graph quantifies the number of γH2AX foci in more than 100 cells. (H) Immunofluorescence staining and quantification of OCT4, Sox2, and Nanog in HPFs 11 days post-irradiation (magnification: 400×). Scale bars = 5 μm. Dot graph quantifies OCT4, Sox2, and Nanog intensity in more than 100 cells. In all graphs, error bars indicate SEM. Statistical significance was assessed by one-way ANOVA for multiple comparisons. ∗ p < 0.05, ∗∗ p < 0.01, ∗∗∗ p < 0.001, and ∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001. In graphs (D) and (G), error bars represent SD. The data shown are representative of repeated three independent experiments.
Article Snippet: Human pulmonary fibroblasts (HPFs) , Promocell , Cat# C-12360.
Techniques: Irradiation, Immunofluorescence, Staining, Cell Culture, Control