Figure 8. Inhibition of canonical Wnt signalling by Dkk-1 prevents Ad-TBRI^act-induced fibrosis.

Intradermal infection with adenoviruses encoding for TBRI^act (Ad-TBRI) induced dermal fibrosis in wild-type mice, but not in Dkk-1 transgenic (Dkk-1 tg) littermates. Representative histological sections stained with haematoxylin and eosin, Sirius Red and trichrome are shown (horizontal scale bar, 100 μm). The dermal thickening observed in wild-type mice on infection with Ad-TBRI was significantly ameliorated in Dkk-1 transgenic (Dkk-1 tg) mice. The Ad-TBRI-mediated increases in hydroxyproline content and in the number of myofibroblasts were also reduced in Dkk-1 tg mice (n ≥ 5 for all groups). * Indicates P-values of less than 0.05 (as analysed using the Mann–Whitney U-test) compared with wild-type mice infected with Ad-TBRI. All data are expressed as mean ± s.e.m.