FIGURE 3.
HuR knockdown does not affect ECM gene induction by TGF-β. (A) ELAVL1 mRNA: ELAVL1 mRNA levels were significantly reduced in HLFs transfected with HuR siRNA oligos and treated with TGF-β1 as well as those untreated. ELAVL1 mRNA values (means ± SEM) are expressed as fold change from values measured in cells transfected with control siRNA and untreated with TGF-β1 (*p< 0.05). (B) ACTA2 mRNA: There was significant attenuation of TGF-β1-induced increase ACTA2 mRNA expression (*p< 0.05 compared to control siRNA oligos) only at the 48-hour timepoint. There was no significant difference in the expression levels of COL1A1 (C), COL3A1 (D) or FN1 (E) mRNA between the SiCtrl and the SiHuR-transfected HLFs.