Inhibition of podocyte apoptosis depends on PAR-3. (A-B) Frequency of apoptosis in PAN stressed podocytes treated with PAR-APs (A) or preincubated with PAR or EPCR blocking antibodies before treatment with aPC (B). Activation of PAR-2 and PAR-3 protects podocytes against PAN-induced apoptosis. Of note, blocking PAR-3 activation, but not PAR-2 activation, abolishes the protective effect of aPC. (C) Representative image showing shRNA-mediated knockdown of PAR-2 and PAR-3 in human podocytes (RT-PCR). (D) Bar graph summarizing the frequency of apoptosis in PAN-stressed PAR-3^KD human podocytes. aPC fails to prevent PAN-induced apoptosis in PAR-3^KD podocytes. (E) Bar graph summarizing the frequency of apoptosis in PAN-stressed wild-type and PAR-2^KD human podocytes treated with aPC or PAR-APs. aPC as well as the activating peptides for PAR-2 and PAR-3 fail to prevent PAN-induced apoptosis in PAR-2^KD podocytes. Data are mean ± SEM of at least 3 independent experiments. *P < .001 vs control (ANOVA).