Celecoxib attenuates hepatocyte apoptosis by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress in thioacetamide-induced cirrhotic rats

Figure 2 Celecoxib inhibits apoptosis of hepatocytes and expression of caspase-3 and caspase-12 in thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis. A: Immunohistochemical staining (100 ×) for collagen III, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), caspase-12, and caspase-3 in the three groups of rats. Positive rates were analyzed using Image-Pro Plus 6.0. The data are expressed as the mean ± SD (n = 15, ^aP < 0.05 vs TAA + celecoxib group; ^bP < 0.01 vs control group). The scale bar is 200 μm; B: Western blot results showing collagen III, COX-2, caspase-3, and caspase-12 expression in the three groups. ^aP < 0.05 vs TAA + celecoxib group; ^bP < 0.01 vs control group. TAA: Thioacetamide; COX-2:Cyclooxygenase-2; GAPDH: Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.