Figure 4 | Scientific Reports

Figure 4

From: Stiffening hydrogels for investigating the dynamics of hepatic stellate cell mechanotransduction during myofibroblast activation

Figure 4

Blocking α-SMA polymerization results in reduced YAP/TAZ nuclear shuttling.

(a) Stellate cells were seeded on soft gels that were stiffened after 3 days and cultured in normal media (BP(−)) or media supplemented with α-SMA blocking peptide (25 μg/mL, BP(+)) for an additional 4 days. The blocking peptide almost completely abrogated α-SMA expression without impacting other filamentous actin, but reduced nuclear YAP/TAZ accumulation. Scale bars: 50 μm. (b) Immunostaining quantification indicates that α-SMA blocking does not affect the fraction of cells displaying F-actin stress fibers (n > 30 cells per group, error bars represent s.e.m.). (c) Tukey box plot of YAP/TAZ nuclear to cytoplasmic intensity ratio demonstrated significant reduction in YAP/TAZ nuclear localization in BP(+) group (n > 30 cells per group). ***P < 0.001.

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