TERT/FOXO1 signaling promotes islet β-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus by regulating ATG9A-mediated autophagy

Figure 2 FOXO1 knockdown activates autophagy to protect β-cells against high glucose-induced dysfunction. sh-FOXO1 and/or the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA were used to treat high glucose-treated MIN6 cells. A and B: Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to analyze FOXO1 mRNA and protein expression; C: EdU staining was used to analyze cell proliferation ability (red staining: the labeled proliferating cells, blue staining: the nuclei); D: Flow cytometry was used to assess the cell apoptosis rate; E: Insulin levels were measured via ELISA; F: The expression of the autophagy proteins LC3B and p62 was analyzed via western blotting. The data are expressed as mean ± SD. Each experiment was conducted in triplicate. ^aP < 0.05 vs control group, ^bP < 0.05 vs control group, ^cP < 0.05 vs HG + sh-NC group, ^dP < 0.05 vs HG + sh-FOXO1 group. HG: High glucose.