Role of TGF-β1/Smad3 Signaling Pathway in Secretion of Type I and III Collagen by Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells of Rats Undergoing Balloon Injury

Figure 2

Smad3 expression in VSMCs transfected with adenovirus expressing antisense Smad3 in vitro. Following injury, VSMCs were collected and divided into 3 groups. In the antisense Smad3 group, cells were transfected with adenovirus expressing antisense Smad3; in the negative control group, cells were transfected with blank adenovirus; in the blank control group, cells received no treatment. Transfection was done with adenovirus at an MOI of 100 pfu. Three days later, total RNA was extracted from each group and RT-PCR was performed. The mRNA expression of Smad3 was normalized to that of 𝛽-actin. The mRNA expression of Smad3 in the blank control group served as the baseline level, and the mRNA expression of Smad3 in other groups was normalized to that in the blank control group as the fold change which was used for delineation. Data were expressed as mean ± SD. ^▲𝑃<0.05, ^■𝑃<0.01 versus negative control group.