Fig. 1.

(A-O) Transfection efficiency of pcDNA-mesoderm-specific transcript homologue (Mest; ×200) and pathological examination of rat liver (×200). (A, B, C) Recombinant plasmid pcDNA-Mest was transfected into hepatic stellate cells and (E) rat liver. Transfection was detected by (B) fluorescence microscopy and (E) light microscopy, respectively. The expression of Mest in liver tissue was determined in four groups. There was no Mest expression in the (D) normal group, (F) control group or (G) model group, (E) whereas there was considerable Mest expression in the liver tissue in the Mest treatment group. Changes in liver pathology were examined by (H, I, J, K) hematoxylin-eosin and (L, M, N, O) Masson's trichrome staining. (H, L) Liver samples from normal rats showed normal liver architecture and few inflammatory cells and collagen fibers. (K, O) Samples from model groups showed more infiltrated inflammatory cells and collagen fibers than those from the normal group, and (I, M) Mest treatment resulted in greater improvement of the liver condition than (J, N) that observed in the model group and pcDNA 3.1-neo control group.