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. 2023 Apr 9;24(8):6972. doi: 10.3390/ijms24086972

Figure 2.

Figure 2

The synergistic function of TGF-β and ET-1 is required for Ang II-induced myofibroblast differentiation. Serum-starved adult HCFs were pretreated with valsartan (valsar; 1 µM), LY2109761 (TGF-β inh; 5 µM), bosentan (1 µM), or LY2109761 plus bosentan 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.