Fig. 6

Effects of GR siRNA, RU486, and GW4064 on the expression of bile acid transporters in the human BeWo cells. BeWo cells were transiently transfected with 100 nM GR siRNA, 100 nM negative control (i.e., scrambled) siRNA. After 24-h transfection, cells were treated with or without 500 nM dexamethasone for 3 days. At the end of treatment, mRNA expression of organic anion transporter polypeptide-related protein 2B1 (OATP2B1), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), organic anion transporter polypeptide-related protein 4A1 (OATP4A1), and multidrug resistance-associated proteins 4 (MRP4) (a) were measured by RT-qPCR. BeWo cells were treated with 500 nM dexamethasone, 500 nM dexamethasone plus 10 μM RU486, or 500 nM dexamethasone plus GW4064 for 5 days. At the end of treatment, mRNA expression of OATP2B1, ABCG2, and ABCC4 (b, c) were measured by RT-qPCR, and the protein expression of OATP2B1, BCRP, and MRP4 (d–f) were measured by immunofluorescence staining (magnification × 400). Scale bars 50 μm. Quantitative fold changes of transporter expression were analyzed by using ImageJ version 1.44. n = 6 per group. Data are presented as mean ± SD. *P < 0.05 vs. control. **P < 0.01 vs. control. Dex, dexamethasone; NS, no significance