Figure 8.

Effects of calpain, caspase-9, and caspase-12 inhibitors on the survival of pEGFP-Peripherin cells. pEGFP-Peripherin cells were treated for 48 h with 20 μM calpeptin (calpain inhibitor), 20 μM Ac-LEHD-CMK (caspase-9 inhibitor), or 2 μM Z-ATAD-FMK (caspase-12 inhibitor) starting on day 6 of NGF induction. (A) Proteins were analyzed by Western blotting. Caspase-3 activity was detected by levels of the 120 kD caspase-3 breakdown product of α-fodrin (caspase-3 BDP). UT = untreated group. Equal loading of protein was confirmed using β-actin. (B) Cell viability was evaluated using the XTT assay. The data are presented as the mean ± SEM for eight experiments in each group. **p < 0.01 versus untreated group. (C) The mitochondria membrane potential was evaluated by the ability of the cells to take up the fluorescent dye TMRE. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM for twelve experiments in each group. *p < 0.05 versus the untreated group.