Figure 6. Inhibition of Nox2 was associated with reduced CsA-induced Fibrogenesis.
Immunoblot analyses examining the expression of Nox2, fibrosis (α-SMA), oxidative stress (nitrotyrosine), and the profibrotic signaling molecule, phosphorylated Smad3 and total Smad3) in rats treated with high dose CsA (15 mg/kg/24h for 30 days), CsA + Apocynin (16 mg/kg/24h) and CsA + DPI (0.5 or 1 mg/kg/24h). Panel a shows representative blots while Panel b represents normalized ratios of proteins to GAPDH. The studies showed that CsA increased fibrogenesis (Nox2, α-SMA, nitrotyrosine, P-smad3 and T-smad3) compared to no treatment. Nox2 inhibitors were associated with reduced fibrogenesis, which was more pronounced with DPI than apocynin.