Notch signaling mediated by TGF-β/Smad pathway in concanavalin A-induced liver fibrosis in rats

Figure 2 Notch γ-secretase inhibitor attenuates notch and transforming growth factor-β signaling pathways in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of liver fibrosis rats. A: mRNA expression for TGF-β1 Smad3 and Notch1, and Notch target genes Hes1 and Hes5 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) (2 × 10⁶) from rats treated with DAPT or DMSO for 24 h, as detected by qRT-PCR; B and C: Western blot analysis of protein expression of Notch1, Hes1, Hes5, TGF-β and Smad3 and quantification in PBMCs (2 × 10⁶) from rats treated with DAPT or DMSO for 24 h. ^aP < 0.05, ^cP < 0.01, ^eP < 0.001 vs DMSO group, n = 12 per group. TGF-β: Transforming growth factor-β.