Bone morphogenetic protein-7 represses hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis via regulation of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway

Figure 2 Transforming growth factor-beta 1 inhibits bone morphogenetic protein 7 in a time- and dose-dependent manner. A: Western blot analysis of expression of BMP7. Primary mouse HSCs were serum starved for 20 h, treated with TGF-β1 at the indicated dose (ng/mL) for 24 h, and lysed. Equivalent amount of whole cell detergent lysates were blotted with the indicated antibodies for detecting BMP7 and GAPDH. B: Densitometry analysis of BMP7 at the indicated TGF-β1 dose. C: Western blot analysis of expression of BMP7 and α-SMA. Primary mouse HSCs were serum starved for 20 h, treated with TGF-β1 (2 ng/mL) for the indicated time periods (h), and lysed. Equivalent amount of whole cell detergent lysates were blotted with the indicated antibodies. D: Densitometry analysis of the association of BMP7 and α-SMA at the indicated time in response to TGF-β1 stimulation. Data are pooled from at least three independent experiments and represented as the mean ± SE. ^cP < 0.01 or ^dP < 0.01 compared to time point 0. BMP7: Bone morphogenetic protein 7; TGF-β: Transforming growth factor-beta; α-SMA: Alpha-smooth muscle actin.