Figure 5. Protective Effects of 17DMAG on fiber cross-sectional
area, STAT3 activation, and catabolic pathway suppression.
(a) Representative hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining
showing the morphological changes in the gastrocnemius. Scale bar: 100
μm. (b) Fiber size distribution. (c) Mean fiber
cross-sectional area is shown by the χ2 analysis (for CSA); * denotes a
significant difference (P<0.05) compared with normal control;
# denotes a significant difference (P<0.05) compared with C26
mice. (d) 17DMAG treatment altered the expressions of myosin
heavy chain (MHC), MuRF-1, atrogin-1, and pY-STAT3 in cachectic skeletal
muscles from C26 tumor-bearing mice, which were detected by western blot
analysis. (e) Gastrocnemius MHC expression was evaluated by
immunofluorescence staining. MHC, green, DAPI, blue. Scale bar: 100 μm.
(f) Total RNA was extracted from the gastrocnemius from
control, 17DMAG-treated, and C26tumor-bearing mice, and the expression
levels of MuRF-1 and atrogin-1 in the gastrocnemius were measured by
quantitative RT-PCR. Data represent the mean ± SD. ***p<0.001,
compared with normal control; #p<0.05, compared with C26
mice.