Fig. 4

RGS4 attenuates the effect of choline on TGF-β1-induced fibrogenesis in CFs. a mRNA expression of Collagen I, b Collagen III and c α-SMA in CFs was measured by qRT-PCR. n = 3. d Protein levels of Collagen I, e CTGF and f α-SMA in CFs was assessed by western blot analysis. n = 5 or n = 7. g Left: representative immunostaining images show the expression of vimentin in TGF-β1-treated CFs as an indication of fibroblast-myofibroblast transition. Right: statistical results of immunostaining expressed as mean ± SEM. n = 5. h Left: representative immunostaining images show the expression of α-SMA in TGF-β1-treated CFs as an indication of fibroblast-myofibroblast transition. Right: statistical results of immunostaining. n = 5. i The cell viability of CFs measured by MTT assay. n = 6. TGF-β1 + Choline + pcDNA3.1 served as a negative control. n = 5. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 versus pcDNA3.1 or Control, ^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01, ^###p < 0.001 versus TGF-β1, ^&p < 0.05, ^&&p < 0.01, ^&&&p < 0.001 versus TGF-β1 + Choline + pcDNA3.1