Antifibrogenic effects of vitamin D derivatives on mouse pancreatic stellate cells

Figure 2 D-vitamins inhibit formation of stress fiber bundles. Pancreatic stellate cells in primary culture (days 1-4) and of passage 1 (days 1-3) were treated with the indicated D-vitamins at 100 nmol/L each. Subsequently, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) fibres (green) were visualized by immunofluorescence staining; while nuclei were counterstained with DNA with 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (blue). Expression of α-SMA and formation of stress fiber bundles were assessed on a semiquantitative scale from 0 to 3. Exemplary stains for each score are shown in (A) (original magnification, × 630). In (B), mean values of n ≥ 12 independent samples ± SE for primary cultures (left panel) and passaged cells (right panel) are shown. ^aP < 0.05 vs untreated controls.