Fig 2: ADSCs downregulate the expression of CTSF, BAX, Bid, and caspase 9 and upregulate that of Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL in radiation-induced dermatitis model rats in vivo. Representative images of skin tissues immunohistochemically stained for CTSF (A). Representative blots of CTSF, BAX, Bid, Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, and caspase 9 levels in skin tissues (B). GAPDH was used as a loading control. Average OD of CTSF (C) (n = 6/group). Protein expression level analysis (D) (n=4/group). I, control-4w; II, ADSCs-4w; III, control-12w; IV, ADSCs-12w. The results are expressed as the mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 vs. the control group

Fig 3: siRNAs were used to knock down CTSF. HaCaT cells were treated with NC-siRNA, CTSF-siRNA001, and CTSF-siRNA002 and were then harvested for the detection of apoptosis using flow cytometry. Upper left quadrant—necrotic cells; upper right quadrant—late apoptotic cells; lower left quadrant—viable cells; lower right quadrant—early apoptotic cells. The results are expressed as the mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05 vs. NC-siRNA group

Fig 4: EO increases the sensitivity of glioblastoma to TMZ in a mouse model. (A) Treatment scheme for the evaluation of in vivo efficacy of EO in combination with TMZ in U87 tumor xenografts. (B) Representative images of H&E, LAMP1, CTSF, HEXA, and Ki-67 IHC of brain sections containing orthotopic tumors treated with TMZ, TMZ + EO, or vehicle after 30 d of injection. (Scale bars for H&E staining, 1 mm. Scale bars for LAMP1, CTSF, HEXA, and Ki-67 IHC, 50 µm.) (C) Quantification of Ki-67 positive cells in the brain sections. unpaired Student’s t test; P** < 0.01; P*** < 0.001; error bars represent the SDs of five repeats. (D) Immunoblot analysis of LC3-I, LC3-II in lysates of xenograft tumors resected from three of the brain sections in B under the microscope. The experiments were independently repeated three times with similar results. (E) The Kaplan–Meier survival curves of athymic nude mice bearing intracranial U87 gliomas treated with vehicle, TMZ, or TMZ + EO (vehicle, n = 6; TMZ, n = 5; TMZ + EO, n = 5). Statistical analysis was performed by log-rank test. P* < 0.05, P** < 0.01. (F) Schematic cartoon showing that the EO binds to TFEB to interfere CLEAR DNA recognition and inhibits autophagy response.