Fig. 4

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) upregulated renal Nrf2 and downstream cytokine expression. a Immunohistochemical staining of Nrf2 (× 600). Effects of hUCMSCs on diabetic rats were compared at the protein level for total Nrf2 (b), HO-1 (g), NQO1 (f), and SOD2 (e) and at the RNA level for Nrf2 (c) and HO-1 (d). n = 5 per group. *P < 0.05 vs. Ctrl group; ^#P < 0.05 vs DM group. The effects of hUCMSCs on hGMCs were evaluated by measuring the protein levels of total Nrf2 (h), SOD2 (i), and HO-1 (j). control, control group; C/MSC, control and hUCMSC group; HG/P, high-glucose and palmitate group; HG/P/MSC, high-glucose, palmitate, and hUCMSC group. n = 6 per group. *P < 0.05, vs. control group; ^#P < 0.05, vs. HG/P group