Figure 5.

Profibrotic settings stimulate col5a1 collagen gene transcription. Profibrotic settings stimulated SM22 expression over time mostly on fibronectin coatings (A). The mix of fibronectin–collagen coatings barely influenced the expression of col1a1 mRNA in time, but it decreased on fibronectin and collagen coatings in a timely manner (B). The expression level of type I procollagen barely varied over time, but it decreased more then that of the control group (C). Type I collagen increased in a timely manner only on collagen-containing coatings (D). Col3a1 mRNA expression was suppressed in activated primary cardiac fibroblasts on each substrate (E), whereas fibronectin and non-collagen-based coatings potentiated the expression type III collagen at the later time point (F). Strikingly, col5a1 mRNA expression increased about 4-fold more than that of control group on each coating (G), whereas on collagen-based coatings, type V collagen protein expression stayed elevated (H). Schematic overview of results over time. The solid line towards mature collagen fibers formation serves as a guide to the reader (I). Error bars indicate standard error of the mean; * p ≤ 0.05; ** p ≤ 0.01; *** p ≤ 0.001; **** p ≤ 0.0001. n = 3 experiments per condition. Fbn (Fibronectin); Coll (Collagen).