[Retracted] TGF-β1 Induces Interlukin-11 Expression and Pro-Fibrotic Effect by DNA Demethylation in Subconjunctival Fibroblasts

Figure 3

IL11 activates the HTFs and leads to the pro-fibrotic effect mainly at the protein level. The denuded area was created by tip scratching in the HTFs’ confluent center region. The HTFs were treated with 10 ng/mL TGF-β1 or 5 ng/mL IL11 for 0, 12, and 24 h, and then photographed. (a) Typical images at different time points for the different treatment groups after scratch. Scar bar = 500 μm. (b) The percentages of the denuded area (denuded area at the specified time point/denuded area at 0 h) were analyzed quantitatively after different treatments at different times. The HTFs were treated with 10 ng/mL TGF-β1 or 5 ng/mL IL11 for 24 h after 12 h serum starvation. A DMEM-alone group was included as a control. , vs. their respective 0 h value. (c-d) RT-qPCR was employed for checking the changes in the expressions of the transdifferentiation marker α-SMA (c) and extracellular matrix Col1A1 (d). (e-f) Western blot analysis of the expression of α-SMA and Col1A1 proteins. Data were mean and SD of three independent tests, triplicate samples for each. ^#, ^##vs. Control by one-way ANOVA and then by the Fisher test.

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