The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, AG1478, reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. (A) Chemical structure and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-inhibitory IC50 values of AG1478. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were pretreated with AG1478 (2.5 μM and 5.0 μM) for 2 hours, and then exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (100 ng/mL) for the indicated time. (B) HSCs incubated with LPS for 15 min. The p-EGFR level was detected using Western blot. (C) HSCs incubated with LPS for 24 h. The cell viability of HSCs was detected by the MTT assay. (D–F) HSCs incubated with LPS for 24 h. The levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β (D), Col-1 (E), and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) (F) in the cell lysates were detected by Western blot. (G) HSCs incubated with LPS for 6 h. The mRNA levels of TGF-β, Col-1, and α-SMA were detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and normalized against β-actin. * P<0.05, ** P<0.01, *** P<0.001, vs. Ctrl group; # P<0.05, ## P<0.01, ### P<0.001, vs. the LPS-treated group