CTGF stimulates the expression of fibrotic markers in Huh7.5-FL cells.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Huh7.5 or Huh7.5-FL cells were incubated in conditioned medium (medium containing 0.5%FCS) for ninety-six hours and the cell lysates were blotted to examine α-SMA expression, vimentin and slug expression. Equal protein loading was verified using GAPDH antibody. The conditioned medium was used for the measurement of MMP-2 activity by zymography assay. (<b>B</b>) HepG2 cells were transfected with or without JFH-1RNA for different time points and cell lysates were blotted for α-Sma I protein. GAPDH was used as an internal control. (<b>C</b>) Lysates of Huh7.5 or Huh7.5-FL cells transfected with non targeting or CTGF shRNA for 48 hrs were blotted for CTGF, procollagen I or GAPDH. The bar graphs show the quantitative analysis of CTGF or procollagen I expression relative to that of GAPDH. * P≤0.05 versus Huh7.5-FL cells. Data represent mean ± SD of 3 independent experiments.