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

Figure 4

TGF-β1 gene in Sj was cloned and identified. (a) TGF-β1 mature peptide cDNA in Sj was amplified using Sj adult worm cDNA collected from infected mice as template and primers designed according to mouse TGF-β1 mature peptide sequence, and the 5′ and 3′ ends of TGF-β1 in Sj were extended via RACE. The alignment of TGF-β1 cDNA sequences of Sj and mouse is shown (Query is Sj TGF-β1 and Sbjct. is mouse TGF-β1 cDNA sequence). Solid lines: specific mouse TGF-β1 primer pairs for PCR amplification; dotted lines: specific Sj TGF-β1 primer pairs for PCR amplification. Gray: TGF-β1 mature peptide cDNA sequence. (b) The alignment of TGF-β1 amino acid sequences of Sj and mouse is shown (Query is Sj TGF-β1 and Sbjct. is mouse TGF-β1 amino acid sequence). Gray: TGF-β1 mature peptide amino acid sequence. (c) TGF-β1 primers of mouse- or Sj-specific source were identified through PCR using Sj adult worms or normal mice liver cDNA as template, respectively. M: DL2000 DNA Marker; 1: mouse cDNA as template and specific Sj TGF-β1 primer; 2: mouse cDNA as template and specific mouse TGF-β1 primer; 3: Sj cDNA as template and specific Sj TGF-β1 primer; 4: Sj cDNA as template and specific mouse TGF-β1 primer.

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