FIGURE 6.

Effect of EGCG on the activation of EGFR in rats. (A) Representative photographs of Western blot for p-EGFR and EGFR proteins from homogenized rat lung tissue were shown. (B) Protein levels were normalized to the corresponding β-actin and the ratios of p-EGFR/EGFR were calculated. Western blot analysis showed that EGCG suppressed CS-induced elevated phosphorylation of EGFR, total EGFR and the ratio of p-EGFR/EGFR. The results are expressed as means ± SEM; n = 7 each group. SA group, water/sham air; CS group, water/cigarette smoke; EGCG/SA group, EGCG (50 mg/kg)/sham air; EGCG/CS, EGCG (50 mg/kg)/cigarette smoke. ^∗∗∗p < 0.001 for the comparison between CS and SA group, ^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01, ^###p < 0.001 for the comparison between EGCG/CS and CS group. EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor.