Fasudil prevents liver fibrosis via activating natural killer cells and suppressing hepatic stellate cells

Figure 5 Fasudil inhibits the proliferation but promotes the apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells. A: LX2 cells were treated with different concentrations of Fasudil (5 mM, 10 mM) for 24 h in vitro; B: The apoptosis of LX2 cells was analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). mRNA levels of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) in LX2 cells were detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR); C: The phosphorylated extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK)/ERK levels in LX2 cells were detected by western blotting. The cell cycle of LX2 cells was analyzed by FACS; D: Left panel shows the representative FACS plots of cell cycle, and right panel shows the quantification of percentage of cells in G1, S and G2 phase; E: Relative expression level of Ki67 and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) mRNA in LX2 cells was analyzed by qRT-PCR; F: α-SMA level in LX2 cells was analyzed by western blotting; G: mRNA levels of Ras homology family member A in LX2 cells were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Data represent the mean ± SD from at least three independent experiments. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01, ^cP < 0.001.