Figure 7.

NOTCH2 is overexpressed in SSc patients and promotes fibrosis in vitro. (A, B) miR-16-5p and NOTCH2 expression in SSc patients and healthy controls (n=30 per group). (C1) The effects of NOTCH2 plasmid transfection on NOTCH2 levels in HSFs was assessed using qRT-PCR. (C2–F) Levels of collagen-related markers were measured by qRT-PCR analysis after different treatments in HSFs. (G–H) MMP levels in the different groups were measured by qRT-PCR. Data are shown as means ± SDs of three independent experiments.