FIGURE 3.

TGF‐β/SMAD signalling pathway is essential for anti‐HCV activities of TGF‐β1 and TGF‐β2, except TGF‐β3. HCV core level was determined by WB in Huh7.5 cells treated after 20 μmol/L LY2109761 (A) or 50 μmol/L Repsox (B) 6 h treatment prior to co‐incubation with 0.5 nmol/L of TGF‐β isoforms and HCV. At 72 h, intracellular HCV core was detected by WB. Huh7.5 cells were transfected with siRNA for TβRI (C) or siRNA for SMAD2/3 (D). After 48 h, the cells were sub‐cultured and then infected with HCV and simultaneously treated with 0.5 nmol/L TGF‐β isoforms after 24 h incubation. Intracellular HCV core was detected by WB after 48 h. **P < 0.01 and ***P < 0.001 vs solvent control or siRNA control plus solvent control group; ^# P < 0.05, ^## P < 0.01 and ^### P < 0.001 vs LY2109761 (Repsox or siRNA groups) control. Data represent the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. ANOVA analysis followed by the Student's t test method was used