Figure 4.

miR-148a-3p and miR-22-3p were involved in HSC activation. (a) Knockdown of Neat1 increased miR-148a-3p and miR-22-3p expression levels in HSCs. N = 3; **P< 0.01, compared with negative control group. (b) The relative expression levels of miR-148a-3p and miR-22-3p in TGF-β1-stimulated and normal HSCs were analyzed. N = 3; **P< 0.01, compared with normal group. (c) HSCs were divided into five groups: (i) inhibitor NC group (cells transfected with the blank vector of the inhibitor), (ii) miR-148a-3p inhibitor group (cells transfected with the miR-148a-3p inhibitor), (iii) miR-22-3p inhibitor group (cells transfected with the miR-22-3p inhibitor), (iv) Mix1 group (cells transfected with Lv-shNeat1+ miR-148a-3p inhibitor) and (v) Mix2 group (cells transfected with Lv-shNeat1+ miR-22-3p inhibitor), and then the transfection efficiency was detected using qPCR. (d) The effect of miR-148a-3p or miR-22-3p on HSC proliferation was determined by performing an EdU assay. (e) The effect of miR-148a-3p or miR-22-3p on α-SMA and type I collagen protein expression in HSCs was detected using western blotting. N = 3; **P< 0.01, compared with inhibitor NC group