Fig. 6. The miR-29b inhibited the activation of MRC-5 cells induced by supernatants from silica-treated macrophages. (a) Transfection efficiency for MRC-5 cells checked by examination of Cy3 using an Eclipse 80i microscope after 24 h incubation. The Cy3 signals showed that mimics were distributed in keeping with cell shape. (b, c, d) qRT-PCR analyses of mRNA expression levels of collagen1, collagen4 and fibronectin, respectively. mRNA levels were increased in the silica 50 μg mL^–1 group, while they were decreased in the silica 50 + mimics group. (e, f) Western blotting results of the protein expression levels of collagen3. The protein level was increased in the silica 50 μg mL^–1 group while it was decreased in the silica 50 + mimics group. The data are presented as the means ± SD (n = 3). The significance of differences was determined by ANOVA followed by the Dunnett's test; ^p < 0.05 versus the silica 0 group, ^^p < 0.01 versus the silica 0 group, #p < 0.05 versus the silica 50 group, ##p < 0.01 versus the silica 50 group.