Research Paper Volume 16, Issue 3 pp 2005—2025

Figure 2. Effect of EC-specific VDR knockdown on EC cell death. (A) EC-specific knockdown of VDR induces cleaved caspase-3 in ECs. Flies carrying the Myo^ts>GFP or Myo^ts>GFP+VDRRi genotypes were cultured at 29° C for 4 days. The guts of flies were dissected and labeled with anti-GFP (green) and anti-cleaved caspase-3 (red) antibodies and DAPI (blue). Original magnification is 400×. (B) Frequency of cleaved-caspase 3⁺ cells per Myo⁺ (strong and weak GFP⁺) large cell (ECs). Three-day-old females were shifted to 29° C for 4 days, and dissected guts were immunostained with anti-GFP (green) and anti-cleaved caspase 3 (red) antibodies and DAPI (blue). Cleaved caspase 3⁺ cell numbers were determined in the Myo⁺ cells of these guts. Data (mean ± standard error) in the Myo^ts>GFP or Myo^ts>GFP+VDRRi flies were collated from 4716 and 5914 Myo⁺ cells of 15 guts each. P-values were determined using Student’s t-test. p<0.0001 compared with Myo^ts>GFP flies.