Berberine Inhibition of Fibrogenesis in a Rat Model of Liver Fibrosis and in Hepatic Stellate Cells

Figure 4

BBR suppressed α-SMA, without affecting Smad2/3 phosphorylation. (a) BBR did not affect the TGF-β production in hHSC. The expression of TGF-β mRNA transcript was analyzed with RT-qPCR. No significant difference between treatment and nontreatment group was observed. (b) BBR did not inhibit Smad2/3 phosphorylation in hHSC. Immunoblotting analysis using specific antibodies revealed no significant difference between treatment and nontreatment group in the phosphorylation of Smad2/3. (c) BBR suppressed the expression of profibrogenic factors. The downstream targets of Smad2/3, fibrogenic α-Sma, Col1a1, and Col4a3 were analyzed by RT-qPCR. Significant reduction of α-SMA, Col1A1, and Col4a3 mRNAs was observed in BBR-treated cells in a dose-dependent manner. versus control.

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