Figure 3.

miR-29 repression of collagen 1 expression in primary mouse mesangial cells. (A) Primary mouse mesangial cells were treated with TGF-β1 for 3 days demonstrated significantly increased collagen I, III, and IV expression (P<0.01 compared with control). (B) TGF-β1 also resulted in significantly decreased miR-29a, miR-29b, and miR-29c expression (P<0.05 compared with control). (C) Mesangial cells were transfected with miR-29a/b/c (50 nM each) and harvested after 3 days. Western blot analysis demonstrated significantly decreased collagen I expression in transfected cells (graphed below, P<0.05 compared with control). (D) Similar experiments with TGF-β1 treatment demonstrated that miR-29 transfection could prevent the induction of collagen I by TGF-β1 treatment (graphed below, P<0.05 compared with control). (E) Real-time qPCR analysis of miR-29 transfected cells shows significantly decreased collagen I mRNA in control but also in TGF-β1–treated cells (*P<0.05 and ^#P<0.05 compared with control).