Fig. 7.

Effect of TGFB1 on MMP release by luteal fibroblasts. Fibroblasts were cultured in monolayer and treated with TGFB1 (1 ng/ml) in serum-free medium. Supernatant medium was harvested, and the expression of matrix-remodeling proteins was examined by Western blot analysis and zymography. A) Western blot analysis (30 μl medium/lane) for MMP1, TIMP1, MMP2, and TIMP2. B) Data from densitometric analysis shown as fold-increases over the untreated control samples (12 h). TGFB1 up-regulated the expression of latent and active MMP1. Data represent three separate experiments (mean ± SEM, n = 3, *P < 0.05 vs. Control). C) Casein zymography (30 μl medium/lane) for MMP1. The presence of the active form of MMP1 was detected in medium samples from TGFB1-treated cells only. D) Gelatin zymography (30 μl medium/lane) for MMP2. Luteal fibroblasts produced only inactive MMP2.