Activin A Stimulates Aromatase via the ALK4-Smad Pathway in Endometriosis

Figure 3

Effects of Activin A on estradiol secretion and aromatase expression in eutopic stromal cells (ESCs) from patients with endometriosis. C or blank: control; A: Activin A (25 ng/mL) for 24 hr; B: SB431542 (10 μM) for 24 hr; A + B: 10 μM SB431542 for 30 min followed by 25 ng/mL Activin A for 24 hrs; R: smad4-siRNA, R(−): NC-siRNA; A + R: transfected with Smad4-siRNA. The data are expressed as mean ± SD from three independent experiments performed in triplicate. versus control; versus Activin A; versus Activin A. (a) The estradiol level was measured in various conditions. (b) P450arom expression was measured by Western blot (the top is representative and the bottom is the mean ± SD from three independent experiments performed in triplicate). (c) ESCs were transfected with Smad4-siRNA. The silencing effect of Smad4 protein expression was measured by Western blotting. (d) The estradiol level was measured in various conditions. (e) P450arom expression was measured by Western blot (top is a representative blot and the bottom is the mean ± SD from three independent experiments).

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