Figure 4

Cigarette smoke extract (CSE) induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition and increases uPAR levels in cultured human small airway epithelial cells (HSAEpiC). (A) Cells were cultured for variable time points with 5% CSE. Cell images were captured by phase-contrast microscopy. (B) Epithelial markers E-cadherin and α-catenin, mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) mRNA levels were determined by Real-time PCR (mean ± SEM; n = 3). (C) Epithelial markers E-cadherin and α-catenin, mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and α-SMA protein levels were determined by Western blot. The original extracts were subjected to Western blot analysis for β-actin, as a loading control. (D) UPAR mRNA level was determined by Real-time PCR (mean ± SEM; n = 3). (E) uPAR protein level was determined by Western blot.