Epiregulin enhances periodontal tissue regeneration by promoting bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell functions under inflammatory niches

Figure 2 Knockdown of epidermal growth factor receptor blocked the positive effects of epiregulin on migration, chemotaxis, and osteogenic potential of mouse bone marrow stem cells under inflammatory conditions. A: Quantitative analysis of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the transcription of epidermal growth factor receptor (Egfr) mRNA was decreased in the EGFR single hairpin RNA (shRNA) group (n = 3, Student’s t-test). Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Gapdh) was used as an internal control; B: Expression of EGFR was revealed in mouse bone marrow stem cells by western blotting. GAPDH was used as the internal control; C and D: Scratch-simulated wound migration assay results (n = 3, one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA]). Scale bar: 500 μm; E and F: Transwell chemotaxis assay results (n = 3, one-way ANOVA). Scale bar: 50 μm; G: Alizarin Red staining; H: Expression of osterix (OSX) and osteocalcin (OCN) was revealed in mouse bone marrow stem cells that were cultured in the inflammatory condition by western blotting. Error bars represent standard deviation. ^aP ≤ 0.05; ^bP ≤ 0.01. EREG: Epiregulin.