Figure 4.

Effect of combination drugs on signaling molecules and collagen synthesis. A, B. Effects of combination treatment on TGF-β induced Akt/p70S6kinase phosphorylation in HSCs shown by western blotting. Akt/p70S6kinase phosphorylation after 1 h incubation with culture medium alone (N.T.), drugs, and 10 ng/mL TGF-β. The densities of protein bands were normalized against β-actin and expressed as a ratio. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.001. C. Effects of combination treatment on collagen protein level as quantitated by western blot analysis. HSCs were treated with EVE and NAC alone, and with EVE and NAC. HSCs were obtained 14 d after treatment.