Figure 3

Knockdown of BRAP prohibited NF-κB nuclear translocation and attenuated IκBβ degradation. (A) Knockdown of BRAP did not change the mRNA levels of NFKB1 (n = 3). (B) Western blot showed that NF-κB p50 and p65 increased gradually in the nucleus when the HASMCs were treated with LPS. Cells with BRAP silencing prohibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p50 and p65. (C) There was a significant increment in the nuclear/cytoplasm ratio of NF-κB p65 in the wide-type cells, but no change in the cells with BRAP knockdown. Data were analyzed by pairwise comparison between cells treated with LPS for different periods of time and cells at time zero (Student t test, *P < 0.05). (D) For the cells transfected with control siRNA, LPS induced the degradation and phosphorylation of IκBα and IκBβ. BRAP silencing prohibited the degradation of IκBβ but did not influence the degradation of IκBα. Each experiment was repeated at least three times. Error bars: SD.