Fluorescence intensity above threshold was calculated using the software of LINEGENE 9600 (BIOER, Japan). The measurement of the unrelated control mRNA b-actin, was used to normalize the samples. The mean Ct value for three replicates of each gene was 22948146 subtracted from the mean Ct value for three replicates of the reference b-actin gene in each sample to obtain DCt. The relative expression values (22DDCt) were used only for graphic construction. All statistical analyses were performed using Microsoft Office Excel program (Microsoft, USA).HG condition or by TGF-b treatment (Fig. 2B,D). In contrast, no clear change on cell motility was observed when cells were exposed to NG or OG conditions, and no synergistic effect with TGF-b was observed with the HG conditions. These results strongly suggest that HG environment activates the EMT process in A549 cells.Effect of HG on onfFN synthesisIt has been well-accepted that FN is up-regulated in the EMT process [11],[17]. The onfFN is defined by the addition of the GalNAc to the Thr of the IIICS domain of FN, the rate limiting step for the recognition of onfFN by FDC-6, that only recognize the glycosylated isoform of FN [23] (Fig. 3). Recently, Freire-deLima and coworkers [22] demonstrated the up-regulation of onfFN during the EMT. Here, we demonstrate that high glucose concentration up-regulated onfFN levels (Fig. 3A,C) and consequently, total FN (Fig. 3A,B). FDC-6 mAb JWH133 reacts selectively with FN that carries O-glycans since treatment of immunoprecipitated FN with exoglycosidases and with endo-a-N-acetylgalactosaminidose significantly decreases FDC-6 mAb activity when compared with non-deglycosylated control (Fig. 3D). As expected, de-Oglycosylation of immunoprecipitated FN did not influence the recognition by EP-5 antibody (Fig. 3D). Whereas human plasma FN (pFN), used as control, was detected by mAb EP5, but not by mAb FDC6 (Fig. 3D right panel). These results confirm the specificity of FDC-6 antibody to the glycosylated isoform of FN. Noteworthy was that HG treatment up-regulated the levels of FN mRNA splice forms containing the IIICS domain (onfFN) (Fig. 3E). HG treatment up-regulated the mRNA levels of ppGalNac-T6 (Fig. 3F), one of the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of onfFN, and this effect was enhanced with the exogenous addition of TGFb (Fig. 3C). The effects of HG were not due to osmolar changes, as 20 mM of manitol plus 5 mM of glucose (OG) had no significant effect on mRNA levels of the IIICS domain-containing FN splice forms or ppGalNAc-T6. Once it has been shown that TGF-b is involved in the up-regulation of IIICS domain of FN and ppGalNac-T6 in human epithelial cells [22] we further evaluated if the expression of TGF-b is required for the high glucose-induced onfFN biosynthesis. Fig. 3G shows that neutralization of TGF-b partially rescues the HG-induced onfFN expression, which indicates that the activation of onfFN biosynthesis by hyperglycemia involves, in part, TGF-b activation (Fig. 3G).Results High glucose induces A549 cells to undergo EMTTo access whether high glucose could induce the secretion of TGF-b in A549 
cells, the cells were incubated in NG, HG, or OG conditions. In agreement with previous results [30], high glucose concentrations induced an increase in TGF-b secretion (Fig. 1A). The exposure of A549 cells to HG for 48 h increases the TGF-b levels when compared with NG or OG conditions. Since TGF-b is an SPDB important inductor of EMT, the increased secretion of TGF-b obs.Fluorescence intensity above threshold was calculated using the software of LINEGENE 9600 (BIOER, Japan). The measurement of the unrelated control mRNA b-actin, was used to normalize the samples. The mean Ct value for three replicates of each gene was 22948146 subtracted from the mean Ct value for three replicates of the reference b-actin gene in each sample to obtain DCt. The relative expression values (22DDCt) were used only for graphic construction. All statistical analyses were performed using Microsoft Office Excel program (Microsoft, USA).HG condition or by TGF-b treatment (Fig. 2B,D). In contrast, no clear change on cell motility was observed when cells were exposed to NG or OG conditions, and no synergistic effect with TGF-b was observed with the HG conditions. These results strongly suggest that HG environment activates the EMT process in A549 cells.Effect of HG on onfFN synthesisIt has been well-accepted that FN is up-regulated in the EMT process [11],[17]. The onfFN is defined by the addition of the GalNAc to the Thr of the IIICS domain of FN, the rate limiting step for the recognition of onfFN by FDC-6, that only recognize the glycosylated isoform of FN [23] (Fig. 3). Recently, Freire-deLima and coworkers [22] demonstrated the up-regulation of onfFN during the EMT. Here, we demonstrate that high glucose concentration up-regulated onfFN levels (Fig. 3A,C) and consequently, total FN (Fig. 3A,B). FDC-6 mAb reacts selectively with FN that carries O-glycans since treatment of immunoprecipitated FN with exoglycosidases and with endo-a-N-acetylgalactosaminidose significantly decreases FDC-6 mAb activity when compared with non-deglycosylated control (Fig. 3D). As expected, de-Oglycosylation of immunoprecipitated FN did not influence the recognition by EP-5 antibody (Fig. 3D). Whereas human plasma FN (pFN), used as control, was detected by mAb EP5, but not by mAb FDC6 (Fig. 3D right panel). These results confirm the specificity of FDC-6 antibody to the glycosylated isoform of FN. Noteworthy was that HG treatment up-regulated the levels of FN mRNA splice forms containing the IIICS domain (onfFN) (Fig. 3E). HG treatment up-regulated the mRNA levels of ppGalNac-T6 (Fig. 3F), one of the enzymes 
involved in the biosynthesis of onfFN, and this effect was enhanced with the exogenous addition of TGFb (Fig. 3C). The effects of HG were not due to osmolar changes, as 20 mM of manitol plus 5 mM of glucose (OG) had no significant effect on mRNA levels of the IIICS domain-containing FN splice forms or ppGalNAc-T6. Once it has been shown that TGF-b is involved in the up-regulation of IIICS domain of FN and ppGalNac-T6 in human epithelial cells [22] we further evaluated if the expression of TGF-b is required for the high glucose-induced onfFN biosynthesis. Fig. 3G shows that neutralization of TGF-b partially rescues the HG-induced onfFN expression, which indicates that the activation of onfFN biosynthesis by hyperglycemia involves, in part, TGF-b activation (Fig. 3G).Results High glucose induces A549 cells to undergo EMTTo access whether high glucose could induce the secretion of TGF-b in A549 cells, the cells were incubated in NG, HG, or OG conditions. In agreement with previous results [30], high glucose concentrations induced an increase in TGF-b secretion (Fig. 1A). The exposure of A549 cells to HG for 48 h increases the TGF-b levels when compared with NG or OG conditions. Since TGF-b is an important inductor of EMT, the increased secretion of TGF-b obs.