Figure 5.

YAP silencing inhibits the TGF-β/Smad–induced increase in profibrotic gene expression. NRK49F renal fibroblasts were transfected with siRNA directed against YAP or a scrambled siRNA. (A) Forty-eight hours post-transfection, knockdown of YAP was confirmed via quantitative RT-PCR. The effects of YAP knockdown on TGF-β–induced Smad–dependent transcription were assessed (B) using a Smad–dependent luciferase reporter activity assay and via measurement of endogenous mRNA levels of the TGF-β/Smad–inducible genes (C) COL1A1, (D) ACTA2, and (E) PAI1. Results are representative of n=3 independent replicates per condition. One-way ANOVA with post hoc Fisher least significant difference was performed. AU, arbitrary unit; Scr, scrambled. *P<0.05.