Fig. 8

The SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling pathway mediates the effects of liquiritigenin on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. A To assess whether EX527 and ML385 influence the effects of liquiritigenin on pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin, mice were orally administered with 100 mg/kg of liquiritigenin 3 h before receiving EX527 and ML385 from day 15 to day 28 following intratracheal injection of bleomycin. B Lung morphology and ECM deposition were evaluated through HE and Masson staining. Scale bars represent 100 μm. C The survival curve of mice was recorded. D Scoring of pulmonary fibrosis severity in mice. E Hydroxyproline content, an indicator of fibrosis, was quantified using biochemical methods. F–G mRNA levels of myofibroblast markers, collagen I and α-SMA, were analyzed through qPCR. H–J Protein expression levels of collagen I and α-SMA were determined by Western blotting. Data are presented as means ± standard deviation, and all experiments were independently repeated at least three times. (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001)