Tissue Transglutaminase-Regulated Transformed Growth Factor-β1 in the Parasite Links Schistosoma japonicum Infection with Liver Fibrosis

Figure 1

TGF-β1 level increased gradually in mice liver during the courses of Sj infection. (a) TGF-β1 level in serum was determined by ELISA in BALB/c mice with infective Sj cercariae for 5, 6, 8, and 12 weeks, and uninfected mice were used as control. Data are shown as means ± SD of 10 mice/group. Experiment was performed four times (; and compared with uninfected group). (b) Equal amounts of proteins of mouse liver tissue lysates at indicated time points were used in the Western blot assay to detect protein expression levels of TGF-β1, p-Smad2, and Smad2. GAPDH was used as loading control. (c) Mouse livers at indicated time points were fixed in paraformaldehyde, embedded in paraffin, and then sliced and immunohistochemically stained for TGF-β1. Representative staining for TGF-β1 is shown at ×400 magnification. Top: TGF-β1 expression in egg, Sj egg granuloma, and the surrounding tissue. Bottom: TGF-β1 expression in hepatic cell and liver tissue around the liver sinusoid.

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