Inverse relationship between platelet Akt activity and hippocampal atrophy: A pilot case-control study in patients with diabetes mellitus

Figure 3 Phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in the platelets and the levels of phosphorylated Akt corrected with those of phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. A and B: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) group; C and D: The control group. To avoid platelet activation, ice-cold ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (10 mmol/L) solution was added immediately to the platelet-rich plasma obtained from patients in the T2DM group (A and B) and the control group (C and D). The lysates of the platelets were then subjected to western blot analysis using antibodies against phospho-specific p38 Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). All the results are presented collectively (A: n = 40; C: n = 15). The levels of phosphorylated-p38 MAPK were determined using the ImageJ software program. The bar graphs show the levels of phosphorylated-Akt corrected with those of phosphorylated p38 MAPK in the T2DM group (B) and the control group (D). MAPK: Mitogen-activated protein kinase.