Figure 4.

Effect of various treatments on lung transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)2, ACE, and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT₁R) levels. (A) Lung TGF-β mRNA levels were significantly increased by bleomycin (bleo) administration, which was prevented by overexpression of murine ACE2 and angiotensin (Ang)-(1–7). (B) Bleomycin-induced decrease in lung ACE2 mRNA levels was completely prevented by overexpression of murine ACE2 but only partially by Ang-(1–7). (C) Bleomycin administration decreased lung ACE protein level, which was significantly restored by ACE2 and Ang-(1–7) overexpression. (D) Bleomycin administration increased lung AT₁R protein level, which was significantly decreased by Ang-(1–7). However, ACE2 overexpression failed to decrease the elevated AT₁R levels induced by bleomycin. *P < 0.05 versus control group; ^#P < 0.05 versus bleomycin (n = 3–5 per group).