Lentiviral-Mediated RNA Interference against TGF-Beta Receptor Type II in Renal Epithelial and Fibroblast Cell Populations In Vitro Demonstrates Regulated Renal Fibrogenesis That Is More Efficient than a Nonlentiviral Vector

Figure 3

Gene silencing of TBRII in renal epithelial and fibroblast cells by RNAi. At 24 and 72 hrs post pPlasRi-TBRII and pLentiRi-TBRII transfection, Western immunoblots for renal fibroblasts (NRK-49F), and epithelial cells (NRK-52E) showed specific inhibition of TBRII. Both RNAi plasmids significantly inhibited TBRII at 24 and 72 hrs post transfection; however, both fibroblast and epithelial cell lines had stronger gene silencing with pLentiRi-TBRII at 72 hrs (**𝑃<.01 and *𝑃<.05, resp., in comparison with controls). Scale bar in each photomicrograph = 100 μM.