Figure 4
From: Mortalin deficiency suppresses fibrosis and induces apoptosis in keloid spheroids
Immunohistochemical staining of type I and III collagen, elastin, and fibronectin protein from dE1-RGD/GFP/shMot-transduced keloid spheroid tissues. (a) Masson’s trichrome staining of keloid spheroids. After dEl-RGD/GFP/shMot treatment of keloid spheroids, dense and coarse collagen bundles were replaced with thin and shallow collagen bundles. Original magnification: x400. (b) Reduced expression of ECM components including collagen type I and III, elastin, and fibronectin protein in keloid spheroids transduced with dE1-RGD/GFP/shMot compared to those in spheroids transduced with scramble virus. Original magnification: 400x. (c) Semi-quantitative image analysis for type I and III collagen, elastin, and fibronectin protein expression. Significant reduction in type I collagen, type III collagen, elastin, and fibronectin was observed in keloid spheroids transduced with dE1-RGD/GFP/shMot in comparison to untreated group or scramble virus-treated virus (**p < 0.01). (d) Reduced expression of TGF-β1, EGFR, Smad 2/3 complex, and Erk 1/2 protein in primary keloid spheroids by mortalin specific shRNA-expressing adenovirus (x400). (e) The decreased expression of TGF-β1, EGFR, Smad 2/3 complex, and Erk 1/2 were observed in mortalin specific shRNA-expressing adenovirus treated keloid spheroids, by 52%, 43%, 11%, and 42%, respectively, versus scramble virus-transduced spheroids (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01).
