Figure 1.

Blockade of AT₁R and G_αq protein antagonizes Ang II-induced myofibroblast differentiation. Serum-starved adult HCFs were pretreated with valsartan (valsar; 1 µM), FR900359 (G_αq inh; 1 µM), or gallein (G_βγ inh; 10 µM) for 1 h before stimulation with 200 nM Ang II for 6 h (A) or 24 h (B,C). (A) Relative mRNA levels of fibrotic markers, α-SMA and collagen I, were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Data are expressed as the mean ± SEM (n = 4). After treatment, immunofluorescence staining was used to determine α-SMA expression (green) (B) and stress fiber formation (red) (C). Nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue). Scale bar, 10 μm. Data are expressed as the mean ± SEM (n = 3). * p < 0.05 vs. vehicle; ^# p < 0.05 vs. Ang II.