Fig. 2
From: miR-21 enhances cardiac fibrotic remodeling and fibroblast proliferation via CADM1/STAT3 pathway
CADM1/STAT3 signal pathway activation in cardiac fibrotic remodeling and fibroblast. a p-STAT3 immunostaining on sections of vehicle rat heart or ISO (fibrotic) rat hearts. Images show absence of p-STAT3 in vehicle rat heart and selective p-STAT3 expression located in fibrotic lesions of diseased heart. Images show α-SMA staining localised selectively to smooth muscle cells lining vessels of vehicle rat heart and to myofibroblasts in association with fibrotic lesions in diseased heart. Moreover, Images show α-SMA staining localised selectively to smooth muscle cells lining vessels of SR heart and AF heart. b Rat heart tissues RNA was isolated, and STAT3, α-SMA expression were evaluated by qRT-PCR. c Human heart tissues RNA was isolated, and STAT3, α-SMA expression were evaluated by qRT-PCR. d Rat heart tissues RNA and protein was isolated, CADM1 mRNA expression was evaluated by qRT-PCR, CADM1 expression was analyzed by Western blotting. e Human heart tissues RNA and protein was isolated, CADM1 mRNA expression was evaluated by qRT-PCR, CADM1 expression was analyzed by Western blotting. f Total protein and RNA isolated from 0, 24 and 48 h cultures with TGF-β1 of rat CFs, STAT3, α-SMA and CADM1 expression were analyzed by Western blotting and qRT-PCR. Results are mean ± SD of triplicate experiments. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 vs control (vehicle)