Fig. 5
Peri-portal ERG-deficient mouse fibrogenesis phenotype is SMAD3-dependent. a, b SMAD3 activity in portal tract regions was assess by immunofluorescence for pSMAD3 (white), VWF (green), SMA (red) and DAPI (blue) in ErgcEC-het and ErgiEC-KO mice, respectively, aged 8–10 weeks. Quantification of pSMAD3 area (three fields per mouse, n = 3). SB-431542 (10 mg kg−1, i.p) was administered in ErgcEC-het mice three times a week for 2 weeks. Scale bar 20 μm. c mRNA was isolated from CD31+ murine EC isolated from lung tissue and analysed by qPCR (n = 4). Data were compared to EC from Ergfl/fl littermate controls (*) or to DMSO treated ErgcEC-het (#) by one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni multiple comparison post-test. d Representative images of portal tract VWF (grey scale; green in merge), SMA (grey scale; red in merge), ERG (white), DAPI (blue) and merged panels (Scale bar 50 µm). e Quantification of SMA expression (5 fields per mouse, n = 4). f Quantitative analysis of Picro-sirius red positive tissue, using polarised light (more representative images in Supplementary Fig. 8B). Data were compared to Ergfl/fl littermate controls (*) or to DMSO treated ErgcEC-het (#) by one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni multiple comparison post-test. All graphical data are mean ± s.e.m., * or #P < 0.05, ** or ##P < 0.01, *** or ###P < 0.001
