Rg3 inhibits LPS-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in sepsis model
(A) Representative fluorescence microscopy images of JC-1. LPS-treated human primary hepatocytes were observed to have JC-1 monomer form (cells with green fluorescence), indicating lower MTP. However, both the negative control cells and Rg3-treated cells were observed to have JC-1 aggregate form (cells with red fluorescence), indicating high MTP values. (B) Quantitative analysis of JC-1 fluorescence. (C,D) Expression levels of respiratory chain complexes assembly proteins in mitochondria determined by Western blotting. the expression levels of OPA1, complex I, and complex II were down-regulated with LPS treatment, which were reversed by the Rg3 treatment. (E,F) Expression levels of mitochondrial biogenesis related transcription factors PGC1-α, NRF-1, and Tfam-1 as determined by Western blotting. *, P<0.05; **, P<0.01, ***, P<0.001, compared with the LPS group.