Figure 2.

The intensity of liver fibrosis and cytokine levels in the liver of mice infected with S. japonicum or injected with CCl₄ intraperitoneally. (A) Masson staining of the liver in mice. Original magnification 100×. (B)The fibrosis areas of the liver of mice infected with S. japonicum or injected with CCl₄ intraperitoneally. (C) The hydroxyproline level in the mice liver. (D–J) The relative mRNA expression levels of collagen I, collagen III, α-SMA, MMP-9, TIMP-1, IL-13, and TGF-β in the liver of mice infected with S. japonicum. (K–Q) The relative mRNA expression levels of collagen I, collagen III, α-SMA, MMP-9, TIMP-1, IL-13, and TGF-β in the liver of mice injected with CCl₄ intraperitoneally. SJ, S. japonicum Vehicle, olive oil. Data represent the mean ± SE from three independent experiments. ^*** P < 0.001.