Fig. 7
From: Protective role of berberine in isoprenaline-induced cardiac fibrosis in rats
Effects of berberine on the production of transforming growth factor-β1 in macrophages, and on cardiac fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes which was co-cultured with macrophages. To investigate transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 production in macrophages, different doses of berberine (0.1 μM, 0.5 μM, and 1 μM) were incubated with isoprenaline (ISO)-induced macrophages. The interaction between macrophages and fibroblasts or cardiomyocytes under ISO stimulation was evaluated, by macrophage/fibroblast or macrophage/cardiomyocyte co-culture. (a) TGF-β1 expression in macrophages was evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). (b) The expression of markers of fibrosis (collagen Iα, and collagen IIIα) in fibroblasts induced by ISO-stimulated macrophages was determined by RT-PCR. (c) Cardiac fibroblast proliferation state in the indicated groups. (d and e) The expression of ANP and CTGF in cardiomyocytes co-cultured with macrophages in the indicated groups. *P < 0.05 as compared with the control group. #P < 0.05 vs. the ISO group