Effect of CTGF silencing on the proliferation of LEC and IFN-γ and TNF-α mediated inhibition. A.

<p>Proliferation of LEC, in which CTGF was down-regulated by CTGF shRNA transfection (right side; “CTGF shRNA”) and of control cells, which were transfected with non-specific scrambled shRNA (left side; “control shRNA”), was assessed after the addition of 100 ng/ml rCTGF with or without the addition of IFN-γ (500 U/ml) at 72 h. Values are means ± SEMs for 3 replicate cultures. Significant differences to response to rCTGF are marked by * (p<0.05), significant differences of proliferation between CTGF shRNA and non-specific scrambled shRNA transfected cells are marked by # (p<0.05), and significant differences of proliferation between CTGF-induced proliferation and CTGF-induced proliferation with the addition of IFN-γ are marked by $ (p<0.05). <b>B.</b> Proliferation of LEC, in which CTGF was down-regulated by CTGF shRNA transfection (lined column; “CTGF shRNA”) and of control cells, transfected with non-specific scrambled shRNA (white column; “control shRNA”), was assessed 5 days after the addition of TNF-α (20 ng/ml), IFN-γ (500 U/ml), or TNF-α+IFN-γ. Values are means ± SEMs for 3 replicate experiments and present as % compared with non stimulated cells (100%; black column). Significant differences between TNF-α and/or IFN-γ treated cells to control cells are marked by * (p<0.05).