Obeticholic Acid Protects against Gestational Cholestasis-Induced Fetal Intrauterine Growth Restriction in Mice

Figure 7

OCA pretreatment upregulated placental Nrf2 signaling during E2-induced cholestasis. All pregnant mice except controls were s.c. injected with E2 (0.625 mg/kg) once daily from GD13 to GD17. In the OCA+E2 groups, pregnant mice were administered with OCA (5 mg/kg) by gavage once daily from GD12 to GD17. All dams were sacrificed on GD18. (a, b) Placental Nrf2 was measured using immunoblot. (a) Representative gels were shown. (b) Nrf2/Lamin A/C. (c, d) Placental Nrf2 was analyzed using IHC. (c) Representative photomicrographs were shown. Original magnification: ×400. Placental mononuclear sinusoidal TGCs were stained strong positive (arrows). (d) The percentages of Nrf2-positive nuclei were evaluated among different groups. (e–g) Placental Keap1 and HO-1 were measured using immunoblot. (e) Representative gels were shown. (f) Keap1/β-actin; (g) HO-1/β-actin. Quantified data were expressed as of six samples from six different pregnant mice. .

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(g)