Figure 7.

mPGES-1-derived PGE₂ Exerts a Beneficial Effect against α-SMA Expression Induced by TGF-β1 in MRC-5 Cells via inhibition of FAK autophosphorylation. After starvation and siRNA transfection, the cells were co-incubated with TGF-β1 and EP2 agonist (butaprost, 100 nmol/mL) for 24 h or with TGF-β1 and FAK inhibitor (FAK inhibitor 14, 10 μmol/mL) for 24 h. (A) Butaprost, EP2 agonist, decreased p-FAK protein expression induced by TGF-β1 in MRC-5 cells with mPGES-1 siRNA transfection; (B) Inhibition of FAK autophosphorylation reduced α-SMA protein expression after TGF-β1 and mPGES-1 siRNA co-incubation in MRC-5 cells. Results are expressed as means ± SEM (n = 3) (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, si-mPGES-1, siRNA-mPGES-1).