Fig. 3.

Mesodermspecific transcript homologue decreased the mRNA and protein expression of β-catenin, Smad3, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase type I (TIMP-1) in the liver tissue. The mRNA and protein levels of β-catenin, Smad3, α-SMA, and TIMP-1 in liver tissue are shown by (A) reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and (B) Western blot, respectively. The relative expression levels were normalized to those of (C) glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GADPH) and (D) β-actin, respectively. The data are representative of three independent experiments. Lane 1, rats in the normal group (normal rats); lane 2, rats in the treatment group (pcDNA-mesoderm-specific transcript homologue+CCl₄); lane 3, rats in the control group (pcDNA-neo+CCl₄); lane 4, rats in the model group (normal saline+CCl₄).

^*p<0.05 compared with the treatment group; ^†p<0.05 compared with the normal group; ^‡p>0.05 compared with the model group.