Fig. 5

Characterization of inflammation and immune responses in intermuscular adipose tissues (IMATs). Representative western blots (A, C, E, G, I) and quantification of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) (B), phosphorylated NF-κB (p-NF-κB; p65) (D), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (J, K), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (F) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (H). Representative immunostaining and quantification of IL-1β (L, M), TNF-α (N, O), and IL-6 (P, Q) in IMATs. Magnification: ×200; scale bar = 50 μm. CON control, EMA combined therapies + compound-c, EMC combined therapies, EXE moderate exercise, MET metformin; PRE prediabetes. The data shown represent the mean ± standard error of the mean (n = 5–6/group). ^ap < 0.05 vs. CON group; ^bp < 0.05 vs.PRE group; ^cp < 0.05 vs. MET group; ^dp < 0.05 vs. EXE group; ^ep < 0.05 vs. EMA group; ^fp < 0.05 vs. EMC group; p = 0.07 difference between PRE and EMC groups in terms of the phospho-NF-κB: NF-κB ratio