The Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula FTZ Protects against Cardiac Fibrosis by Suppressing the TGFβ1-Smad2/3 Pathway

Figure 5

FTZ improves cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting the TGFβ1-Smad2/3 pathway. (a) mRNA expression of TGFβ1 was determined using RT-qPCR. n = 5 per group. (b–e) Protein expression of TGFβ1, p-smad2, smad2, p-smad3, and smad3 were determined using western blotting. n = 5 per group. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM. versus the control group and ^## versus the Ang-II group. (f) and (g) TGFβ1 expression of consecutive sections of cardiac specimens assessed using immunohistochemical staining. Scale bar: 50 μm. n = 3 per group. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM. versus the sham group and ^## versus the TAC group.

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