Fig 1: The effect of VEGF-B blockade on caspase-3 expression in Müller cells under hypoxia and oxidative stress conditions. (A) Expression of caspase-3 mRNA by qPCR in QMMuC-1 cells cultured under hypoxic conditions with or without VEGF-B neutralizing antibody (for 72 hours). (B) Caspase-3 mRNA expression in QMMuC-1 Müller cells treated with 4-HNE with or without VEGF-B neutralizing antibody. (C) Western Blot showing cleaved caspase-3 in different groups. (D and E) the effect of VEGF-B receptor blockage (anti-VEGFR1 and anti-NRP1) on the expression of caspase-3/7 in PMCs determined by immunocytochemistry. (E) Representative images showing caspase-3/7 expression in control and 4-HNE + VEGFR blockage group. Anti–VEGF-B and VEGFR1 antibodies, 500 ng/mL and 10 µg/mL, respectively; NRP1 antibody, 30 µg/mL; 4-HNE 10 µM. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.005, one-way ANOVA followed by a Newmann-Keuls post hoc test. Experiments performed at least twice, n = 3–4 per group in qPCR, and n = 4–6 in immunocytochemistry and Western Blot. Scale bar = 50 µM.