Figure 9: SMAD6 knockdown mice show liver damage.

Mice were injected with adenoviruses expressing shRNAs targeting SMAD6 (Ad-SMAD6i), which caused substantial and specific knockdown of SMAD6 in liver. Adenoviruses expressing non-specific RNAi (Ad-US) were used as a control. (a) Mice infected with Ad-US or Ad-SMAD6i were sacrificed and the livers were lysed by homogenization, and immunoblotted with the indicated antibodies. (b) Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in mice infected with Ad-US and Ad-SMAD6i. The data are means ± s.e.m. (**P<0.01, t-test; n=5). (c) H&E staining of livers isolated from the mice infected with Ad-US and Ad-SMAD6i. Scale bar, 100 μm. (Magnification; x200-upper, × 400-lower). (d) Livers of the mice infected with Ad-US and Ad-SMAD6i were used for a TUNEL assay. Scale bar, 100 μm. Maginification; × 400. TUNEL-positive cells were quantified and described in a bar graph. The data are means ± s.e.m.(***P<0.001, t-test; n=5). All data are representative of at least three independent experiments.