Fig. 3

Protodioscin exhibited the capacity to diminish TGF-β1-induced expression levels of α-SMA, FN1, CTGF, and Col-I. The influence of various protodioscin concentrations on the viability of primary rat lung fibroblasts, HFL-1 cells, and primary mouse lung fibroblasts, as well as its effects on LDH levels, were evaluated through biochemical methods (A, B). It was attempted to co-incubate fibroblasts with diverse concentrations of protodioscin, with or without TGF-β1 (10 ng/mL), for a duration of 24 h. Subsequently, qRT-PCR was employed to quantify the mRNA levels of α-SMA, Col1a1, FN1, and CTGF (C–F). WB was undertaken to analyze the protein levels of α-SMA, Col1a1, FN1 and CTGF (G–I). Expression of data was undertaken in form of mean ± standard deviation, and the experiments were replicated independently on a minimum of three occasions, * P < 0.05; *It is suggestive of statistical significance at the P threshold below 0.05; **Denotes heightened significance at the P threshold below 0.01; ***Reflects substantial significance at the P threshold below 0.001; ****Demonstrates remarkable significance at the P threshold below 0.0001