Inhibition of Mitofusin-2 Promotes Cardiac Fibroblast Activation via the PERK/ATF4 Pathway and Reactive Oxygen Species

Figure 2

Mfn2 plays a protective role in the process of cardiac fibroblast activation induced by TGF-β1. (a) The mRNA and protein expressions of Mfn2 after siMfn2 transfection (); siMfn2 transfection in the presence or absence of TGF-β1; (b) the mRNA and protein levels of α-SMA, TGF-β, and CTGF in activated cardiac fibroblasts after transfection with siMfn2 (); (c) immunofluorescence staining of CTGF and α-SMA in cardiac fibroblasts (the red fluorescence indicated CTGF/α-SMA and the blue fluorescence indicated the cell nucleus stained by DAPI, ) after transfection with siMfn2; (d) the proliferation rate of cardiac fibroblasts (the red fluorescence indicated EdU-incorporated cells and the blue fluorescence indicated the cell nucleus stained by DAPI, ) after transfection with siMfn2; (e) the migration activity of cardiac fibroblasts (determined by the number of protruding cells from the wound border) after transfection with siMfn2; (f) the mRNA and protein expressions of Mfn2 after overexpression adenovirus transduction (); adenovirus transduction in the presence or absence of TGF-β1; (g) the mRNA and protein levels of α-SMA, TGF-β, and CTGF in activated cardiac fibroblasts after transduction with adenovirus (); (h) immunofluorescence staining of CTGF and α-SMA in cardiac fibroblasts (the red fluorescence indicated CTGF/α-SMA and the blue fluorescence indicated the cell nucleus stained by DAPI, ) after transduction with adenovirus; (i) the proliferation rate of cardiac fibroblasts (the red fluorescence indicated EdU-incorporated cells and the blue fluorescence indicated the cell nucleus stained by DAPI, ) after transduction with adenovirus; (j) the migration activity of cardiac fibroblasts (determined by the number of protruding cells from the wound border) after transduction with adenovirus. Data in (a–j) are expressed as . indicates , indicates , and indicates vs. the control groups.

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