Figure 5.MiR-181a protects against Aβ accumulation-induced pericyte apoptosis. (A–C) Murine brain pericytes were isolated and cultured in DMEM medium. Pericytes were infected with lentiviral empty vector or lentiviral miR-181a expressing vector. Two days later, pericytes were cultured with or without 5 mM Aβ40 for consecutive 3 or 7 days. (A) Cell death was evaluated by Trypan blue staining. Results are expressed as percentage of Trypan blue positive cells (non-viable) among total cell number (%). Data are mean ± SD (n = 5). (B–C) The expression of cleaved caspase-3 was determined by Western blotting analysis. β-actin was used as a loading control. The representative blot images (B) and quantification analysis of cleaved caspase-3 expression (C) are shown. Data are mean ± SD (n = 3). Dara were compared by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post-hoc tests. **, P < 0.01; *, P < 0.05.
