Fig. 5
Role of EVs derived from macrophages after different treatments during EMTs in AECs in vitro. (A) Diagram showing the different treatments in macrophages, or EVs, and the obtained M0-EVs, M0-EVsmiRs, M0-EVssiRs, M1-EVs, and M1siRs-EVs. (B) Biological characteristics of these EVs, including morphology, particulate size distribution, and EV marker proteins. (C) Expression of EMT key genes and β-catenin expression in AECs after incubation with different EVs. The results indicate that Numb, Ehf, and E-cadherin were dramatically reduced, and the activation of β-catenin in AECs after incubation with M0-EVsmiRs, M0-EVssiRs and M1-EVs. Conversely, opposite data were observed in M0-EVs and M1siRs-EVs. Quantification of these proteins is shown in the right panel, data were normalized to GAPDH and relative to AECs (n = 3). Representative blots from three independent experiments are shown. ns, not significant, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001