MiR-9a-5p regulates proliferation and migration of hepatic stellate cells under pressure through inhibition of Sirt1

Figure 1 Pressure results in the activation of hepatic stellate cells and regulates miR-9a-5p and Sirt1. A: Immunofluorescence staining for α-SMA and desmin in fully activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs); B: qRT-PCR confirms the result of miRNA expression profile. ^aP < 0.05 vs control; C: qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses of α-SMA and Col1 upon pressure overload. ^aP < 0.05 vs control; D: qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses of Sirt1 upon pressure overload (n = 3). ^bP < 0.01 vs control; E: Results of HE staining: (1) normal liver; (2) fibrotic liver. Immunohistochemistry experiments were used to identify Sirt1 expression in liver tissue; (3) normal liver; and (4) fibrotic liver; F: RNA was harvested from normal (n =10) and fibrotic (n =10) liver tissue. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-9a-5p and Sirt1. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01 vs control. qRT-PCR: Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.