Sja-let-7 suppresses the development of liver fibrosis via Schistosoma japonicum extracellular vesicles
Fig 7
Sja-let-7 suppressed the schistosome-induced liver fibrosis is mediated via Col1α2/TGF-β/Smad axis.
(A) Polarization microscopy observation of type I and type III collagen fibers. Scale bar, 100 μm. Insets show a higher magnification of the outlined area. Scale bar, 50 μm. (B) Ratio of type I and type III collagen fibers (n = 6). (C) Detection of Col1α2 mRNA expression in the liver (n = 6). (D) Liver IHC analysis of Col1α2. Scale bar, 200 μm. Insets show a higher magnification of the outlined area. Scale bar, 50 μm. (E) Positive area of Col1α2 (n = 6). (F-I) Detection of TGF-β, Smad2, Smad3 and Smad7 mRNA expression in the liver (n = 6). (J) Liver IHC analysis of TGF-β. Scale bar, 200 μm. Insets show a higher magnification of the outlined area. Scale bar, 50 μm. (K) Positive area of TGF-β (n = 6). (L) Liver IHC analysis of p-smad2/3. (M) Positive area of p-smad2/3 (n = 6). All graph data are expressed as the mean ± SD of at least three biological replicates per group. *P< 0.05, **P< 0.01, ns, not significant. Abbreviation: Sj: S. japonicum; NC: negative control; Col I: type I collagen fiber; Col III: type III collagen fibers; IHC: immunohistochemical analysis.