IFN-γ pretreatment showed no mitigating effect on IL-11-induced STAT3 activation.

(A) Hepatocytes were stimulated by IL-11. Protein samples were collected at the indicated time points after stimulation for immunoblotting with anti-β-actin, STAT1, pSTAT1, STAT3, and pSTAT3 antibodies. A protein sample collected 1 hr after IFN-γ stimulation was applied as a positive control of pSTAT1. (B) Hepatocytes were pretreated with IL-11 for 16 hr, followed by IFN-γ stimulation. Protein samples collected 1 hr after IFN-γ stimulation were subjected to immunoblotting with anti-β-actin, STAT3, and pSTAT3 antibodies. The pSTAT3 band density was quantified with ImageJ and normalized to that of β-actin. Data were shown as mean ± S.D. n = 4. Welch’s t-test, n.s.: not significant.