Fig. 6. Effects of PJ-34 on kidney apoptosis and function. ( A ) Representative terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling staining in kidney cortex and medulla. Apoptotic cells are identified by the presence of brown staining ( dark dots ). Hematoxylin staining was also performed to identify individual nuclei. HTV = high tidal volume; LTV = low tidal volume. ( B ) Apoptotic index in cortex. The apoptotic index was expressed as the percentage of positive nuclei. ( C ) Apoptotic index in medulla. ( D ) Caspase-3 activity in kidney homogenate. ( E ) Creatinine clearance (CC) was measured over the last hour of mechanical ventilation. CC = UCr× V/PCr, where UCrrepresents the creatinine concentration in urine (mm), V represents the urine flow (ml/min), and PCrrepresents the creatinine concentration in plasma (mm). * P < 0.05, HTV + vehicle versus others. † P < 0.05, HTV + vehicle versus HTV + PJ-34.