Fig. 4.
Galectin-3 siRNA inhibits myofibroblast activation and procollagen (I) expression in HSCs. Real-time PCR quantitation of (a) Galectin-3, (b) α-SMA, and (c) procollagen (I) expression in PBS, control duplex (CD), or Galectin-3 siRNA (250 nM) treated primary mouse HSCs. ∗∗∗, P < 0.0001 compared with CD. (d) Western blot analysis of Galectin-3, α-SMA, and β-actin expression in primary mouse HSCs 96 h posttransfection. (e) Western blot analysis of Galectin-3, α-SMA, and β-actin expression in primary human HSCs 96 h after treatment with CD or Galectin-3 siRNA (siRNA). (f) Real-time PCR quantitation of procollagen (I) expression in primary human HSCs 96 h after treatment with either PBS, CD, or Galectin-3 siRNA (siRNA). ∗∗∗, P < 0.0001 compared with CD.