Research Paper Volume 11, Issue 23 pp 11391—11415

Figure 2. Melatonin inhibited NOTCH3 and MMP-9 but not MMP-2 gene expression, and increased TIMP-1 but not TIMP-2 gene expression in different culture conditions. Pericytes cultured in the Transwells were pretreated with IL-1β (10 ng/mL) for 24 h in serum-free medium with or without additional pretreatment with DAPT (10 μmol/L), PDTC (25 μmol/L), or WB-3CT (20 μmol/L), and in combination with melatonin (MEL, 10 μmol/L) for 30 min. (A–E) NOTCH3, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2 gene expression levels were quantified in IL-1β-treated, IL-1β + DAPT, and IL-1β + DAPT + MEL groups compared with the control group. qRT-PCR data were normalized to GAPDH expression. (F–J) NOTCH3, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2 gene expression levels were quantified in IL-1β-treated, IL-1β + PDTC and IL-1β + PDTC + MEL groups compared with the control group. (K–O) NOTCH3, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2 gene expression levels were quantified in IL-1β-treated, IL-1β + SB-3CT and IL-1β + SB-3CT + MEL groups compared with the control group. (P) The ratio of MMP9/TIMP1 relative transcript levels. Results are presented as the mean ± SD, n = 3. ^*p < 0.01 compared with the control; ^#p < 0.01 compared with the IL-1β-treated group; ^##p < 0.01 compared with the IL-1β + DAPT group; ^$p < 0.01 compared with the IL-1β + PDTC group; ^&p < 0.01 compared with the IL-1β + SB-3CT group.