Fig 2: Emodin activates AMPK to suppress the MEK-ERK pathway in vivo. (A) Western blot analysis to detect PCNA, Cyclin D1, Cleaved-caspase-3/caspase-3 and p-AMPK/AMPK proteins expression. (B) Western blot analysis to detect p-MEK/MEK, p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 protein expression. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation and analyzed by ANOVA. There were six mice in each group. The Combine group comprised cells treated with emodin and dorsomorphin. ^P<0.05 vs. model group; #P<0.05 vs. emodin group; &P<0.05 vs. AICAR group. PCNA, proliferating cell nuclear antigen; p, phosphorylated.

Fig 3: Emodin activates AMPK to affect the MEK-ERK pathway in TPC-1 cells. (A) Western blot analysis to detect PCNA, Cyclin D1, Cleaved-caspase-3/caspase-3, p-AMPK and AMPK proteins expression. (B) Western blot to detect p-MEK/MEK, p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 proteins expression. GAPDH was used as the internal control. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation and analyzed by ANOVA. There were three parallel samples in each group. *P<0.05 vs. control group, #P<0.05 vs. emodin group; &P<0.05 vs. AICAR group. PCNA, proliferating cell nuclear antigen; p, phosphorylated.

Fig 4: Emodin activates AMPK to affect the proliferation and cell cycle of TPC-1 cells. (A) The inhibition rate of emodin analyzed using CCK-8. (B) The cell viability analyzed using CCK-8. (C) Flow cytometry to detect apoptosis. (D) Flow cytometry to detect cell cycle. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation and analyzed by ANOVA. There were three parallel samples in each group. The Combine group comprised cells treated with emodin and dorsomorphin. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 vs. control group, #P<0.05 vs. emodin group; &P<0.05 vs. AICAR group. CCK-8, Cell Counting Kit-8.

Fig 5: Emodin decreased the expression of PCNA, Cyclin D1, increased the expression of Cleaved-caspase-3, p-AMPK/AMPK in TPC-1 cells. (A) Western blot analysis to detect PCNA, Cyclin D1 and Cleaved-caspase-3/caspase-3; (B) Western blot analysis to detect p-AMPK/AMPK protein expression. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation and analyzed by ANOVA. There were three parallel samples in each group. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 vs. control. PCNA, proliferating cell nuclear antigen; p, phosphorylated.