TGF-beta/Smad

Long-term response of SB431542 and SB203580 release from scaffold implants. Histological results of H&E staining showing the capsule thickness of the various treatments at 14 days. The scale bar shows 100 uM and is applicable to all images in the panel. In each bar graph the tissue and cellular response to SB431542 were found to be significant from the control. For each treatment group six animals were tested. Statistics are performed by ANOVA with Bonferroni comparisons and taken to be significant at ∗∗P < 0.01.

LDN induces signifiant cell death. OVCA429 cells were treated with vehicle (DMSO) or experimental drugs for 6 hr to capture different stages of cell death. OVCA429 cell viability was assessed in response to drug treatment for 6 hr by staining with AO (green) and EB (orange). For clarity the different fluorescent channels to detect AO, EB, and the over-lapping images are shown for 10 mM LDN treatment.

Cells were treated in both formats with 10 uM of SB525334 (TGFβR1), SJN 2511 (TGFβR1), LY2157299 (TGFβR2, TGFβR1), Dorsomorphin (AMPK, ALK2, ALK3, ALK6), DMH-1 (ALK2), or GW5074 (c-raf), or 50 ng/ml of TGF-β. Microtissue or tissue-culture well fluorescence for each condition are shown after 3 days of culture for 393T5 cells, which proliferate slower in control conditions, so that the two cell lines undergo the same number of population doublings during each assay.

AMPK inhibition by compound C(Dorsomorphin) inhibited autophagy activation and neuroprotection induced by IPC in PC12 cells. (A) Compound C (Comp C) abolished IPC induced neuroprotection in PC12 cells. Cells were incubated with compound C 5 μM 60 min before the onset of IPC. Twelve hours after IPC, the cells were subjected to OGD for 10 h and cell viability was examined with CCK-8 kit. (B) Compound C reduced LC3II/LC3I ratio. The cells were incubated with compound C 5 μM 60 min before the onset of IPC. Then the cells were harvested 12 h after IPC and subjected to Western blot analysis. Bar represents mean ± SD, n = 3. *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001 compared with the control group; $$$ P < 0.001 compared with the OGD group; %%% P < 0.001 compared with the IPC + OGD group; # P < 0.05 compared with the IPC group.

The cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins were separated and the protein expression levels were determined by performing western blotting. LY364947 (1 uM), which is a potent ATP-competitive inhibitor of TGF-βRI, was used as the positive control. GAPDH and PARP were used as cytosolic and nuclear markers, respectively.

A549 cells were transfected with miR-205 inhibitor (IHT-205, 100 nM). Forty hours after transfection, the cells were seeded on transwell plates and treated with or without inhibitor K02288 (10 nM), AG1478 (1 µM), SB431542 (10 µM) for 10 hours. Migrated cells were quantified. All data are shown as mean± SD. N =3. All experiments have been repeated at least 3times independently.

Cultured cardiac fibroblasts infected with vector lentiviruses or EphrinB2 overexpressing lentiviruses were stimulated with specific antagonist against Stat3 (Stattic, 2.5μM) and/or Smad3 (SIS3, 1μM), respectively. The expression level of α-SMA was quantified via western blotting. In vitro experiments repeat 3 times, *P<0.05, **P<0.01.

FGF21 activates myogenic and aerobic myofiber-associated genes expression via AMPK pathway. The activator (acadesine) or inhibitor (dorsomorphin) of AMPK pathway were used to treat the pcDNA3.1-21 or control transfected C2C12 myoblasts. For this experiment, four groups were set up: FGF21-ACA (pcDNA3.1-21‡acadesine), Control-ACA (control‡acadesine), FGF21-DOR (pcDNA3.1-21‡dorsomorphin), and Control-DOR(control‡dorsomorphin). The qRT-PCR was performed to detect the genes expression of FGF21 (A), AMPK (B), Sirt 1, Myoglobin(C), Desmin (D), MEF2c (E), a-actin (F). (G) The C2C12 myoblasts were transiently transfected with pCDNA3.1-21 or pCDNA3.1, Western blot showed FGF21 activated AMPK signal via FGF21-Sirt1-AMPK. For the phosphorylated AMPK (right), the intensity of band was normalized total AMPK, and then normalized by control. (H and I) FGF21, as well as AMPK activator acadesine (ACA), increased phosphorylation of AMPM, and myogenic genes expression, especially MyHC I, which was activated by ACA (FGF21‡ACA) and suppressed by AMPK inhibitor DOR(FGF21‡DOR). The data are presented as mean±SD (*P<0.05, **P<0.01, and P<0.001), n=ˆ3.

Long-term response of SB431542 and SB203580 release from scaffold implants. Histological results of H&E staining showing the capsule thickness of the various treatments at 14 days. The scale bar shows 100 uM and is applicable to all images in the panel. In each bar graph the tissue and cellular response to SB431542 were found to be significant from the control. For each treatment group six animals were tested. Statistics are performed by ANOVA with Bonferroni comparisons and taken to be significant at ∗∗P < 0.01.

LDN induces signifiant cell death. OVCA429 cells were treated with vehicle (DMSO) or experimental drugs for 6 hr to capture different stages of cell death. OVCA429 cell viability was assessed in response to drug treatment for 6 hr by staining with AO (green) and EB (orange). For clarity the different fluorescent channels to detect AO, EB, and the over-lapping images are shown for 10 mM LDN treatment.

Cells were treated in both formats with 10 uM of SB525334 (TGFβR1), SJN 2511 (TGFβR1), LY2157299 (TGFβR2, TGFβR1), Dorsomorphin (AMPK, ALK2, ALK3, ALK6), DMH-1 (ALK2), or GW5074 (c-raf), or 50 ng/ml of TGF-β. Microtissue or tissue-culture well fluorescence for each condition are shown after 3 days of culture for 393T5 cells, which proliferate slower in control conditions, so that the two cell lines undergo the same number of population doublings during each assay.

AMPK inhibition by compound C(Dorsomorphin) inhibited autophagy activation and neuroprotection induced by IPC in PC12 cells. (A) Compound C (Comp C) abolished IPC induced neuroprotection in PC12 cells. Cells were incubated with compound C 5 μM 60 min before the onset of IPC. Twelve hours after IPC, the cells were subjected to OGD for 10 h and cell viability was examined with CCK-8 kit. (B) Compound C reduced LC3II/LC3I ratio. The cells were incubated with compound C 5 μM 60 min before the onset of IPC. Then the cells were harvested 12 h after IPC and subjected to Western blot analysis. Bar represents mean ± SD, n = 3. *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001 compared with the control group; $$$ P < 0.001 compared with the OGD group; %%% P < 0.001 compared with the IPC + OGD group; # P < 0.05 compared with the IPC group.

The cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins were separated and the protein expression levels were determined by performing western blotting. LY364947 (1 uM), which is a potent ATP-competitive inhibitor of TGF-βRI, was used as the positive control. GAPDH and PARP were used as cytosolic and nuclear markers, respectively.

A549 cells were transfected with miR-205 inhibitor (IHT-205, 100 nM). Forty hours after transfection, the cells were seeded on transwell plates and treated with or without inhibitor K02288 (10 nM), AG1478 (1 µM), SB431542 (10 µM) for 10 hours. Migrated cells were quantified. All data are shown as mean± SD. N =3. All experiments have been repeated at least 3times independently.

Cultured cardiac fibroblasts infected with vector lentiviruses or EphrinB2 overexpressing lentiviruses were stimulated with specific antagonist against Stat3 (Stattic, 2.5μM) and/or Smad3 (SIS3, 1μM), respectively. The expression level of α-SMA was quantified via western blotting. In vitro experiments repeat 3 times, *P<0.05, **P<0.01.

FGF21 activates myogenic and aerobic myofiber-associated genes expression via AMPK pathway. The activator (acadesine) or inhibitor (dorsomorphin) of AMPK pathway were used to treat the pcDNA3.1-21 or control transfected C2C12 myoblasts. For this experiment, four groups were set up: FGF21-ACA (pcDNA3.1-21‡acadesine), Control-ACA (control‡acadesine), FGF21-DOR (pcDNA3.1-21‡dorsomorphin), and Control-DOR(control‡dorsomorphin). The qRT-PCR was performed to detect the genes expression of FGF21 (A), AMPK (B), Sirt 1, Myoglobin(C), Desmin (D), MEF2c (E), a-actin (F). (G) The C2C12 myoblasts were transiently transfected with pCDNA3.1-21 or pCDNA3.1, Western blot showed FGF21 activated AMPK signal via FGF21-Sirt1-AMPK. For the phosphorylated AMPK (right), the intensity of band was normalized total AMPK, and then normalized by control. (H and I) FGF21, as well as AMPK activator acadesine (ACA), increased phosphorylation of AMPM, and myogenic genes expression, especially MyHC I, which was activated by ACA (FGF21‡ACA) and suppressed by AMPK inhibitor DOR(FGF21‡DOR). The data are presented as mean±SD (*P<0.05, **P<0.01, and P<0.001), n=ˆ3.