Figure 2.

ROR‐γ is upregulated in the hepatocytes of a mouse model of liver fibrosis. (A) The protein levels of α‐SMA, ROR‐γ and β‐actin were determined in CCl₄‐induced fibrotic liver tissues by Western blot. The relative expressions were normalized to β‐actin as a reference. The graph shows quantitative densitometry from the Western blot. (B) Histological analyses were performed on dissected fibrotic liver tissues after CCl₄‐injection. The fibrotic liver tissues were stained with H&E, Sirius red, and antibodies against ROR‐γ. Original magnification: 100×. (C) ROR‐γ mRNA expression was evaluated by qRT‐PCR in different types of cells isolated from the liver of control and CCl₄‐injected mice after 2 weeks or 4 weeks. (D) Double immunofluorescence staining for albumin (green) and ROR‐γ (red) performed in tissue samples control and CCl₄‐injected mice. Nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue). Original magnification: 400×. Control: liver tissues of mock‐injected mice; CCl₄ 2 wk: liver tissues of CCl₄‐injected mice 2 weeks after injection; and CCl₄ 4 wk: liver tissues from CCl₄‐injected mice 4 weeks after injection. Values are presented as the mean ± standard error of the mean (n = 3). All data are representative of at least three independent experiments. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.