Lithium Attenuates TGF-𝜷_𝟏-Induced Fibroblasts to Myofibroblasts Transition in Bronchial Fibroblasts Derived from Asthmatic Patients

Figure 6

Nuclear localization of β-catenin is inhibited in asthmatic fibroblasts. HBFs from NA and AS populations were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 0.1% BSA (control) or supplemented with TGF-𝛽₁ (5 ng/mL), TWS119 (10 μM), or TGF-β/TWS119 for 7 days. Nuclear and cytoplasmic fractionswere isolated, and then the protein extracts were subjected to SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. β-catenin protein was detected by immunoblotting. The purity of the cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions was tested by detection of GAPDH and RbAp46. Note the increased amount of β-catenin in AS HBF in comparison to NA cells and that in the nucleus immunodetectable β-catenin was only found in NA fibroblasts after treatment with TGF-β/TWS119 mixture. Representative immunoblots from 3 independent experiments are shown.