AMPK activation does not cause a miR-122 down-regulation. <i>A</i>

<p>, Mice were treated with metformin (250 mg/kg, <i>ip.</i>) twice a day at a 12 h-interval for 3 days or 5 days and were sacrificed 12 h after the final treatment. Activated and total AMPK levels in the liver of mice were determined by Western blot analysis using anti-phospho-AMPKα (Thr 172) and AMPKα specific antibodies, respectively (the top panel). Levels of phospho-AMPKα was normalized with respective AMPKα and are illustrated as the % of control group (the second panel). UCP2 mRNA (the third panel) and miR-122 (the last panel) levels were determined by the quantitative RT-PCR, were normalized with β-actin and the U6 snRNA, respectively, and are illustrated as the % of control group. *, <i>p</i><0.05; **, <i>p</i><0.01. <b><i>B</i></b>, HepG2 cells were treated with AICAR (1 mM) for 24 h. Activated and total AMPK levels were measured by Western blot analysis using phospho-AMPKα (Thr 172) and AMPKα specific antibodies, respectively (the top panel). The open arrow head illustrated on the right indicates a nonspecific band. Levels of phospho-AMPKα was normalized with respective AMPKα and are illustrated as the % of control group (the middle panel). MiR-122 levels were determined by the quantitative RT-PCR, were normalized with the respective U6 snRNA and are illustrated as the % of control group (the last panel).