Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) Alleviates Hepatic Fibrosis via TGF-β Signaling

Figure 4

Capsaicin can partially reverse the effect of TGF-β on HSCs. (a, b) HSCs were cotreated with 5 ng/ml TGF-β and a series of doses of capsaicin (0, 50, and 100 μM); HSC proliferation was determined using MTT and BrdU assays. (c, d) HSCs were treated with 100 μM capsaicin or 5 ng/ml TGF-β or cotreated by both; the cell cycle of HSCs was determined using flow cytometry. (e, f) The cell apoptosis rate was determined using flow cytometry. (g) α-SMA and COL1A1 contents were shown using IF assays. (h, i) Western blot analysis on protein levels of α-SMA and COL1A1 was conducted. Data are presented as of five independently repeated experiments. , , compared with the control group; , , compared with the 0 μM capsaicin+TGF-β group or TGF-β only group.

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