Fig. 3

ZIF-8 contributes to resistance to apoptosis induced by Zn-deprivation and promotes angiogenesis of DPSCs. (A) TSQ fluorescence staining was used to detect Zn²⁺ in normal control (labelled as ‘Con’) or SCI rat spinal cord tissue cells (n = 6, mean ± SD); (B) DPSCs were treated with TPEN (0 and 0.5 µM) combined with ZIF-8 of concentration gradient (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 50 µg/ml). After 24 h treatment, flow cytometry was used to detect FITC and PE; (C) Statistical diagram of apoptotic cell distribution; (D) DPSCs were treated with TPEN (0 and 0.5 µM) combined with ZIF-8 of concentration gradient (0 and 20 µg/ml). Western Blot was used to detect Bcl2, BAX and GAPDH. Quantitative statistics of gray value were given. (E) DPSCs were treated with TPEN (0 and 0.5 µM) combined with ZIF-8 of concentration gradient (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 50 µg/ml) or Zncl₂ (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 10 µM). After 24 h treatment, CCK-8 was used to detect cell viabilities. (F) After 72 h treated with ZIF-8 (0, 10, 20 and 50 µg/ml), the medium was co-culture with HUVECs. Then cells stained with the crystal violet stain for Transwell experiments. (G) The number of traversed cells is counted by the ImageJ software. (H) Western Blot of VEGF-a and GAPDH of DPSCs treated with ZIF-8 (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 50 µg/ml). Quantitative statistics of gray value (I) were given. (J) VEGF-a in the medium was quantified by ELISA. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001