Fig. 4

Autophagy enhancer and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) treatment reversed intermittent hypoxia with re-oxygenation (IHR)-induced autophagy impairment, late apoptosis and oxidative stress. Either rapamycin (Rap) or human umbilical cord-derived MSC-condition medium (CM) reversed IHR-induced decreased A LC3B and B ATG5 protein expressions, and C increased p62 protein expression in THP-1 cells. D Rap and MSC-CM also reversed IHR-induced hypermethylation over − 32, − 25, − 18, − 11, and − 1 CpG sites of the ATG5 gene. Either Rap or MSC-CM reversed IHR-induced E late apoptosis and F over-production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HUVEC *p < 0.05, compared between IHR and normoxic (NOX) condition #p < 0.05, compared between IHR plus specific treatment and IHR alone condition