ATV inhibits TGF-β1-induced Smad3 and MAPK signaling activation in hVFs. Fibroblasts were pre-incubated with ATV (10 µM) for 3 h and then co-treated with 5 ng/ml TGF-β1 for 30 min. The protein levels of (A) p-Smad3 and t-Smad3, (B) p-ERK1/2 and t-ERK1/2, (C) p-p38 and t-p38, and (D) p-JNK and t-JNK were detected using western blotting. The relative density was expressed as the ratio of p-protein to the corresponding t-protein. Values represent the mean ± standard error of mean of three independent experiments. **P<0.01, ***P<0.001 vs. untreated control group. #P<0.05 vs. TGF-β1 only-treated group. ATV, atorvastatin; TGF-β1, transforming growth factor-β1; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; hVFs, human ventricular fibroblasts; p-, phosphorylated; t-, total; ERK1/2, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2; JNK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase.