Fig. 5

PRO20 prevented the induction of TGF-β but not CTGF after 48 h of HG treatment in IMCD cells. Protein and abundance levels of GLUT1, phosphorylated ERK, total ERK, TGF-β and CTGF during NG, HG, and HG + PRO20 conditions. Representative immunoblot (left) and protein abundances (right) quantified as the ratio protein versus β-actin. GLUT1, phosho ERK, CTGF and TGF-β abundances were augmented in HG conditions. Preconditioning with PRO20 prevented ERK phosphorylation and upregulation of TGF-β but not CTGF. No effect was observed in NG + PRO20 (not shown). *p < 0.05 versus NG, n = 3–4