Fig. 6

ZFAS1 inhibits HG-induced proliferation, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and inflammation in mesangial cells via the miR-588/ROCK1 axis. Transfecting pcDNA-ROCK1 overexpression plasmid into HGMC significantly upregulated ROCK1 expression (A). The overexpression of ROCK1 restored HG-induced cell viability that was reduced by the depleted ZFAS1 (B). MiR-588 inhibition or overexpression of ROCK1 partly restored the depleted level of ROS and MDA and repressed the SOD activity that was increased by ZFAS1 knockdown (C). MiR-588 inhibitor or overexpressed ROCK1 also recovered the downregulated fibronectin and collagen type IV protein expression that was induced by ZFAS1 knockdown in the HGMC (D). The depleted level of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α after ZFAS1 knockdown in the HG-induced cell was also recovered by miR-588 inhibition or ROCK1 overexpression (E). Significance level was set at p < 0.05 (**p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001; ^###p < 0.001)