Fig 2: Effects of Calotropin (0.50 mg/ml) on NSCLC cell apoptosis in vitro. (A) Calotropin promoted the apoptosis of H358 cells, as detected by Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate and propidium iodide staining, and flow cytometry analysis. (B) Calotropin promoted the protein expression levels of caspase-3, caspase-8 and Apaf-1 in H358 cells. (C) Calotropin treatment inhibited the protein expression levels of P53, Bcl-2 and Bcl-w in H358 cells. (D) Calotropin promoted the protein expression levels of Cyto c and JNK. Data are presented as the mean ± standard error mean. **P<0.01, as indicated. NSCLC, non-small-cell lung cancer; Cap, caspase; Apaf-1, apoptotic protease activating factor 1; Bcl-2, B-cell lymphoma 2; Bcl-w, Bcl-2-like protein 2; Cyto c, cytochrome c; JNK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase.

Fig 3: MAPK signaling pathway was involved in miR-19/HAPLN4-mediated regulation in MPP+-treated SH-SY5Y cells. Western blot assay of p-ERK (ERK), p-JNK (JNK) and p-p38 (p38) in MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cells transfected with pcDNA-HAPLN4 or miR-19 mimics + pcDNA-HAPLN4. ß-actin was used as the internal reference (A–D). *P < 0.05 vs. respective control.

Fig 4: Evo inhibits NF-?B and MAPK pathways in vitro. Effects of Evo on the expression of proteins of the (A) NF-?B and (B) MAPK pathways in BEAS-2B cells infected with MSSA. Data are shown as the mean ± standard deviation. ##P<0.01, vs. control group; *P<0.05 and **P<0.01, vs. MSSA group. Evo, evodiamine; MSSA, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus; NF-?B, nuclear factor-?B; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; I?B, inhibitor of NF-?B; JNK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase; Erk, extracellular signal-regulated kinase; p-, phosphorylated.

Fig 5: The role of HB-EGF-dependent EGFR/MAPK signaling in CD9-regulated keratinocyte migration. (A) The effect of recombinant HB-EGF on the wound closure in CD9-silenced keratinocytes treated with siADAM17; (B) Quantification analysis on the diminution of the wound closure area over time with Image J software; (C) The effect of recombinant HB-EGF on cell motility trajectories in CD9-silenced keratinocytes treated with siADAM17. (D) Analysis of the trajectory speed of keratinocyte migration; (E) Analysis of the displacement speed of keratinocyte migration. (F-I) Representative Western blot results showing the effect of recombinant on phosphorylation of EGFR/ERK in CD9-silenced keratinocytes treated with siADAM17 (F), with no alteration to JNK pathway(G), increased phosphorylation of the EGFR(H) and ERK pathway(I). Data were obtained from at least three independent experiments and shown as the mean ± SEM. *, P<0.05; **P< 0.01 vs. Vector group. Bar = 50µm.