Caffeic acid phenethyl ester inhibits liver fibrosis in rats

Figure 8 α-smooth muscle actin expression in liver tissue (immunohistochemistry, × 400). The α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression level in liver tissue was confirmed by immunohistochemistry (× 400). A: Liver sections of the normal group showed a small amount of α-SMA-positive cells only present in vascular wall; B: Liver sections of the model group showed that the α-SMA protein was predominantly present in the fibrous septa, inflamed area and portal area; C: Liver sections of the vitamin E group showed that α-SMA-positive cells were distributed in fibroplasia and inflamed area, but the number of positive cells was less than that in the model group; D: Liver sections of the CAPE (12 mg/kg) group showed that α-SMA-positive cells were sparse, located in inflamed area. The results of the other groups are not shown here.