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

Figure 6 Mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes inhibited protein kinase B/nuclear factor kappa B signaling in radiation induced pulmonary fibrosis. A-D: Western blot analysis of protein kinase B (Akt)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway expression levels in rat lung tissue at 16 weeks (n = 3) (A and B); western blot analysis of Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway expression levels in RLE-6TN cells (n = 3) (C and D); E and F: Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the staining intensity of p-Akt, p-IkappaB kinase α/β and p-NF-κB p65 in rat lung tissue at 16 weeks (n = 6). ^aP < 0.0001 vs control + phosphate buffered saline, ^bP < 0.01 vs control + phosphate buffered saline, ^cP < 0.0001 vs irradiation + phosphate buffered saline. CON: Control; IR: Irradiation; PBS: Phosphate buffered saline; EXO: Exosomes; Akt: Protein kinase B; IKK: IkappaB kinase; NF-κB: Kinase nuclear factor kappa B.