Fig. 4

Effect of VTN knockdown on cell cycle status and apoptosis in serum-deprived WJ-MSCs. a WJ-MSCs were transfected with a NC siRNA or a VTN-targeted esiRNA for 48 h under serum-deprived state. qRT-PCR analysis in WJ-MSC transfectant cells for VTN, CCNA2, E2FA, AURKA, CDKN3, p53, p27, and p21 are shown (n = 3). b Cell cycle analysis of WJ-MSCs treated with NC siRNA or VTN esiRNA. c Percentages of cells in each phase of the cell cycle are shown by the histograms (n = 4). d Representative data of apoptosis analysis using flow cytometry are shown. e The percentages of viable, early apoptotic, and late apoptotic population of WJ-MSCs transfected with NC siRNA or VTN esiRNA under serum deprivation state are compared and demonstrated using bar graphs (n = 3). f Knockdown of VTN was achieved in WJ-MSCs following transfection with VTN esiRNA as shown by the Western blot analysis. P53 protein expression too was detected in the VTN knockdown WJ-MSCs. Expression levels were quantitated with respect to GAPDH, which was used as a loading control (n = 3). g Percentage of metabolically viable population was determined in the NC siRNA vs VTN esiRNA transfected WJ-MSCs by MTT assay. Data shown are representative of three independent biological samples (n = 3). Each bar represents mean ± SEM. Serum-deprived condition represented as no serum (NS) in the figure (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.0001)