Figure 5

Canonical Smad signaling mediates miR-21/Smad 7 signaling during TGF-β1-induced CAF formation.

(A). The Western blot shows that Smad 2, 3 and 4 knockdown curtails TGF-β-induced FSP1 expression. (B). The realtime PCR results show that Smad 2, 3 and 4 knockdown attenuates TGF-β-induced FSP1 mRNA transcription. (C). Fibroblasts with knocked down Smad 2 or Smad 3 decrease tumor growth in the xenografted mouse model. The schematic drawing shows the positions where the cells were injected and the graphic shows the tumor growth curve. The tumor size (median ± error) in the A375 plus Smad 2 or Smad 3 knocked down fibroblasts group and in the A375 plus control fibroblasts at the end point is significantly different (**: P < 0.01; #: P < 0.01). All of the fibroblasts were treated with TGF-β1 before co-injection with the A375 cells. The picture shows the isolated tumors, where tumors in the same position in each group are from the same mouse. The pictures in the bottom are representative fluorescence microscopy images, the greens are fibroblasts.