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. 2021 Nov 22;6(22):e125635. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.125635

Figure 5. SREBP2 promotes a phenotypic switch in ECs that activated fibroblasts via paracrine effects.

Figure 5

(A–C) Human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs) infected with Ad-SREBP2(N) or empty vector (Ad-null) were analyzed by immunostaining. Proliferation was assessed using anti-Ki67 (red) (A), ECM deposition was observed using anti-fibronectin (red) (B), and stress fiber formation was examined using F-actin (green) (C). In all experiments, nuclei were counter stained with DAPI (blue). (D) HUVECs were pretreated with betulin for 2 hours, followed by bleomycin (BLM) for 72 hours. Stress fiber formation was assessed using F-actin (green). Nuclei were counter stained with DAPI (blue). Scale bar: 50 μm. (E) Human lung microvascular ECs (HLMECs) were infected with Ad-SREBP2(N) or Ad-Null, and they were then cocultured using a transwell system with human lung fibroblasts for 72 hours. mRNA expression was measured using qPCR. Data in A–E were analyzed by 2-tailed Student’s t test; data are represented as mean ± SEM from 3 independent experiments (n = 3). *P < 0.05 between the indicated groups. Col1A1, collagen 1 type 1; FN1, fibronectin 1.