Figure 6.

SMAD7 overexpression increases PARP-1 expression in fibroblasts derived from human Peyronie’s disease plaque. Fibroblasts were transfected with an empty PEI25k/pCMV5 vector or a PEI25k/pCMV5-Smad7 polyplex (pSmad7) for 48 h and were then treated with TGF-β1 (10 ng ml^–1) for 1 h. (a) A representative Western blot for PARP-1. Whole-cell extracts were fractionated in a sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel. (b) Data are presented as the relative density of each protein compared with that of β-actin. The relative ratio measured in the no treatment group was arbitrary presented as 1. Each bar depicts the mean values (± s.e.) from four experiments per group. *P < 0.05 by Kruskal–Wallis tests. PEI: poly (ethyleneimine); TGF-β1: transforming growth factor-β1; SMAD7: decapentaplegic homolog 7; PARP-1: poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1; s.e.: standard error.