Figure 2.

Kirenol downregulated HG/TGF-β-induced TGF-β/Smads signalling pathway activation and ECM expression in mesangial cells. (A) Protein levels of FN, Col IV, Smad2/3 and p-Smad2/3 induced by HG were detected by Western blot analysis. (B–D) Relative protein expression analysis. (E) Protein levels of FN, Col IV, Smad2/3 and p-Smad2/3 induced by TGF-β1 were detected by Western blot analysis. (F–H) Relative protein expression analysis. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, compared with the normal control group; #p < 0.05, compared with the HG group or TGF-β1 group.