Fig 1: Immunohistochemistry to detect the expression of various factors in the kidneys of patients with IgAN (magnification, ×400). In comparison with the healthy control group, the expression levels of BAFF, TRAF6, p-NF-κBp65, FN and CTGF were markedly increased in the kidneys of patients with IgAN. BAFF, B cell-activating factor; CTGF, connective tissue growth factor; FN, fibronectin; IgAN, IgA nephropathy; p-, phosphorylated; TRAF, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor.
Fig 2: Clinical indicators of rats in the IgA nephropathy model group. A, con-siRNA; B, con-siRNA + IgA; C, BAFF-RFc chimera protein + IgA; D, TRAF6-siRNA + IgA. *P<0.05 vs. group A; ΔP>0.05 vs. group B; #P<0.05 vs. group B. BAFF, B cell-activating factor; siRNA, small interfering RNA; TRAF, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor.
Fig 3: Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expression levels of NF-κBp65 and TRAF6, FN and CTGF in the cytoplasm. A, con-shRNA; B, con-shRNA + BAFF; C, con-shRNA + BAFF + BAFF-RFc chimera protein; D, TRAF6-shRNA; E, TRAF6-shRNA + BAFF. *P<0.05 vs. group A; #P<0.05 vs. group B. BAFF, B cell-activating factor; BAFF-R, BAFF receptor; CTGF, connective tissue growth factor; FN, fibronectin; p-, phosphorylated; TRAF, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor; shRNA, short hairpin RNA; con-, control.
Fig 4: Western blot analysis to detect the protein expression levels of TRAF6, p-NF-κBP65, FN and CTGF in glomerular mesangial cells. A, con-shRNA; B, con-shRNA + BAFF; C, con-shRNA + BAFF + BAFF-RFc chimera protein; D, TRAF6-shRNA; E, TRAF6-shRNA + BAFF. *P<0.05 vs. group A; #P<0.05 vs. group B. BAFF, B cell-activating factor; BAFF-R, BAFF receptor; CTGF, connective tissue growth factor; FN, fibronectin; p-, phosphorylated; TRAF, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor; shRNA, short hairpin RNA; con-, control.
Fig 5: Expression of BAFF-R in mesangial cells. The presence of BAFF-R on the surface of human mesangial cells was detected using the BAFF-R antibody by flow cytometry. Rat Ig at the same concentration was used as a negative control. Western blotting was performed to detect BAFF-R expression in mesangial cells and was significantly increased when stimulated with BAFF (P=0.032). *P<0.05. BAFF, B cell-activating factor; BAFF-R, BAFF receptor.
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