Journal: International Journal of Molecular Medicine

Article Title: IL-37/IL-1R8 blocks keratinocyte acantholysis via suppressing ADAM17/EGFR

doi: 10.3892/ijmm.2026.5793

Figure Lengend Snippet: IL-37/IL-1R8 protects HaCaT cells from keratinocyte dissociation and apoptosis through the ADAM17/EGFR pathway. (A) Protein expression levels of ADAM17, p-EGFR, total EGFR as well as EGFR downstream protein p-AKT, p-ERK1/2 and p-STAT3 levels were determined by western blotting. HaCaT cells were treated with EGFR activator NSC228155. (B) Cell dissociation was analyzed by cell dissociation assay. (C) Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. (D) Protein expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bax were analyzed by western blotting. (E) HaCaT was transfected with ADAM17 siRNA and the transfection efficiency was detected by western blotting. HaCaT cells were transfected with ADAM17 siRNA or treated with 1 μ M of EGFR inhibitor AG1478 for 30 min followed by treated with AK23. (F) Cell dissociation was analyzed by cell dissociation assay. (G) Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. # P<0.05 vs. Control group; & P<0.05 vs. anti-Dsg3 group; @ P<0.05 vs. anti- Dsg3 + IL-37 + si-NC group; * P<0.05; Data are presented as mean ± SD, n=3 biological indepen- dent replicates. One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni's post-hoc test was used for multiple group comparisons. IL, interleukin; ADAM17, TNF-alpha-converting enzyme; EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor; p- phosphorylated; STAT, signal transducer and activator of transcription; si, short interfering.

Article Snippet: For EGFR inhibition assay, HaCaT cells were pre-treated with 1 μ M of EGFR inhibitor AG1478 (MedChemExpress) at 37°C for 30 min followed by treatment with AK23 for 24 h at 37°C.

Techniques: Expressing, Western Blot, Flow Cytometry, Transfection, Control