FIG. 5.
Effect of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inhibition on Na+, K+, 2Cl- cotransporter (NKCC) activity after trauma. Cultured astrocytes were exposed to 5 atm trauma, and the bumetanide-sensitive NKCC activity was measured with and without BAY 11-7082 3h later. (A) Trauma significantly increased NKCC activity at 3 h, and such effect was diminished by treatment of astrocytes with BAY-11 7082. We also examined whether silencing NF-κB gene expression in cultured astrocytes similarly diminishes the trauma-induced activation of NKCC. (B) Astrocytes transfected with an siRNA targeted to NF-κB p65 showed a significant reduction in mRNA levels of NF-κB p65 (C) as well as a decrease in NF-κB p65 protein expression. (D) Silencing of NF-κB significantly reduced the trauma-induced NKCC activity. Analysis of variance, n=7 *p<0.05 vs. control. †p<0.05 vs. trauma. Cont, control; Scr, scrambled siRNA.