Fig. 6

 C-kit promotes EMT signaling in OA-FLS by activating the AKT-GSK3β-Snail pathway

(A) The expression of EMT-related genes in FLSs derived from rat synovium (n = 5). (B) The effect of C-kit on the expression and phosphorylation of Akt, STAT3, and ERK1/2 in FLSs as determined by western blot (n = 3). (C) Nuclear translocation (white arrow) of Snail (green) and p-Snail (red) immunofluorescence (n = 3, bar = 50 μm). (D) Partial sequence of GSK3β WT and GSK3β S9A mutant. (E-F) Expression of phosphorylation of GSK3β (E), Snail (F), and EMT-related genes (E) in GSK3β WT- and GSK3β S9A-overexpressed FLSs treated with C-kit overexpression (or untreated) (n = 3, bar = 100 μm). ∗p < 0.05; ∗∗p < 0.01; ∗∗∗p < 0.001