Fig. 5

ML385 or Nrf2 silencing inhibited the effects of protodioscin on col-I and α-SMA expression during myofibroblast transition. The level of mRNA expression for α-SMA and Col1a1 in primary mouse lung fibroblasts was determined by qRT-PCR after pretreatment with ML385 for 1 h and co-incubation of protodioscin with TGF-β1 for 24 h (A, B). WB was undertaken to quantify the expression levels of col-I and α-SMA proteins through WB (C). The mRNA and protein levels of Nrf2 were detected by WB and qRT-PCR after Nrf2 silencing (D, E). The mRNA levels of α-SMA and Col1a1 were detected by qRT-PCR (F, G). The protein levels of α-SMA and col-I were detected by WB (H). 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