Research Article

NRF2 Plays a Critical Role in Both Self and EGCG Protection against Diabetic Testicular Damage

Figure 5

EGCG completely lost the efficacy in ameliorating diabetes-induced testicular inflammation and oxidative damage in the absence of NRF2. Testicular inflammation was assessed by determining protein levels of (a) ICAM-1 and (b) VCAM-1, using Western blot. To determine testicular oxidative stress, (c) iNOS protein was determined by Western blot. The protein levels were normalized with GAPDH. Data were normalized as fold variation to Ctrl and were presented as means ± SD (). To further evaluate testicular oxidative stress, ELISAs were performed to detect (d) MDA and (e) ROS levels, and (f) IHC staining for 3-NT was also performed. Data were normalized as fold variation to WT Ctrl and were presented as means ± SD (). versus Ctrl; versus DM. ICAM-1: intercellular adhesion molecule 1; VCAM-1: vascular cell adhesion molecule 1; iNOS: inducible nitric oxide synthase; MDA: malondialdehyde; ROS: reactive oxygen species; IHC: immunohistochemical; 3-NT: 3-nitrotyrosine; other abbreviations are the same as those in Figure 1.
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