Figure 7. AA treatment upregulates hepatic Smad7, but blocks expression of TGF-beta1 and CTGF and activation of Smad2/3 in CCl₄-induced liver disease in rats.

A. Real-time PCR analysis of TGF-beta1, CTGF, and Smad7 mRNA expression. B. Western blot analysis for levels of phospho-Smad2/3 and Smad7 protein expression. C. Immunohistochemistry for nuclear location of phospho-Smad2/3. Data represent mean ± SEM for groups of 8 animals. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001 versus normal control; ^#p<0.05, ^##p<0.01, ^###p<0.001 versus CCl₄-induced disease control. Magnification: ×200 (C).