Mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes alleviate radiation induced pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the protein kinase B/nuclear factor kappa B pathway

Figure 4 Mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes suppressed radiation induced extracellular matrix and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in radiation induced pulmonary fibrosis rats. A: Immunohistochemical staining to observe the staining intensity of E-cadherin, vimentin, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen type 1 alpha 1 (COL1A1) in rat lung tissue; B and C: Western blotting detection of E-cadherin, vimentin, α-SMA and COL1A1 protein expression levels in rat lung tissue (n = 3); D: Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction detection of E-cadherin, vimentin, α-SMA and COL1A1 mRNA levels in rat lung tissue (n = 6). ^aP < 0.05 vs control + phosphate buffered saline, ^bP < 0.01 vs control + phosphate buffered saline, ^cP < 0.0001 vs control + phosphate buffered saline, ^dP < 0.05 vs irradiation + phosphate buffered saline, ^eP < 0.001 vs irradiation + phosphate buffered saline, ^fP < 0.0001 vs irradiation + phosphate buffered saline. CON: Control; PBS: Phosphate buffered saline; IR: Irradiation; EXO: Exosomes; α-SMA: Alpha-smooth muscle actin; COL1A1: Collagen type 1 alpha 1.