Fig. 6

TGFβ1-induced expression of pulmonary fibrosis-related markers in imPAC2 cells. A & B Subconfluent imPAC2 cells were infected with Ad-RFP or Ad-TGFβ1 (A). At 72 h after infection, total RNA was isolated from the infected cells and subjected to qPCR analysis of the expression of collagen I (Col1a1), CTGF, E-cadherin, vimentin, zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1), and α-SMA (B). C & D Subconfluent imPAC2 cells were infected with Ad-TGFβ1 or Ad-RFP for 16 h. The infected cells were collected and mixed with PPCNg/PBS and injected into the flanks of athymic nude mice subcutaneously. At 30 days after implantation, the subcutaneous masses were retrieved from the injection sites, fixed with paraformaldehyde, and subjected to H & E staining (C). Total RNA was also isolated from the freshly retrieved masses and subjecte d to qPCR analysis of the expression of Col1a1, CTGF, E-cadherin, vimentin, ZO-1, and α-SMA (D). Gapdh was used as the reference gene. “**” p < 0.01, “*” p < 0.05, compared with that of the Ad-RFP infection group