Fig. 4

Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) involved in type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECII)-to-type I alveolar epithelial cells (AECI) differentiation via the Hippo pathway. A Protein levels of DCLK1, phosphorylated (p-) YAP-to-YAP (p-YAP/YAP) ratio, surfactant protein C (SPC), claudin 4 (CLDN-4), galectin 3 (LGALS-3), podoplanin (T1α), and p53 in MLE-12 cells by 50 nM small interfering RNA (Si-) of DCLK1 (Si-DCLK1) or Si-Control for 48 h. B DCLK1, p-YAP/YAP, SPC, CLDN-4, LGALS-3, and T1α were semi-quantified by western blot in MLE-12 cells after DCLK1 overexpression (OE-DCLK1). C Expression of DCLK1 in MLE-12 cells after transfection with 50 nM of Si-YAP or Si-Control for 48 h. All data are presented as mean ± SD with a minimum of three independent experiments. A Student’s t-test was applied to analyze the results. * p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001