Fig. 3: CRBN positively regulates the SMAD pathway, resulting in the differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. | Experimental & Molecular Medicine

Fig. 3: CRBN positively regulates the SMAD pathway, resulting in the differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts.

From: Cereblon contributes to the development of pulmonary fibrosis via inactivation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α1

Fig. 3

a, b IMR-90 cells were transiently transfected with control or CRBN siRNAs. Forty-eight hours after transfection, the cells were treated with TGF-β1 (10 ng/ml) for the indicated times. a Real-time PCR analysis of CRBN and GAPDH expression. b Total cellular extracts were subjected to western blot analysis to measure the levels of phosphorylated SMAD3 (p-SMAD3) (Ser423/425), total SMAD, and GAPDH. c–f IMR-90 cells were transiently transfected with control or CRBN overexpression vectors. Forty-eight hours after transfection, the cells were treated with TGF-β1 (10 ng/ml) for the indicated times. c–e Total cellular extracts were subjected to western blot analysis to measure the levels of CRBN, p-SMAD3 (Ser423/425), total SMAD, α-SMA, collagen I, and GAPDH. f Representative photographs of control and CRBN-overexpressing IMR-90 cells 48 h after TGF-β1 treatment. The results are representative of three independent experiments. CRBN cereblon, SMAD small mothers against decapentaplegic, siRNA small-interfering RNA, TGF-β1 transforming growth factor-beta 1.

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