Figure 3
Predominance of BMP-induced SMAD-independent over SMAD-dependent signaling pathway in mesothelial cells (IC and statistical analysis). (A) A few, dot-like signals indicating p-SMAD1/5 could be observed in the cytoplasm of control mesothelial cells (CTR). (B,C) The expression of p-SMAD1/5 was not considerably enhanced on day 3 and 5 (D3, D5), some definite dots could be detected in the cytoplasm and around the nuclei. (D,E) On the 8th and 11th day (D8, D11), p-SMAD1/5 expression intensity decreased, only the mast cells glowed with their autofluorescence in the connective tissue. (F) TAK1 expression could be detected in control, healthy mesothelial cells (CTR). (G–I) Strong TAK1 expression was seen on days 3, 5 and 8 of inflammation (D3-D8). Sometimes this TAK1 expression correlating green, fluorescent signal even suppressed the blue color of the cell nuclear DAPI staining. (J) On the 11th day (D11), the expression of TAK1 decreased, the mesothelial cells showed only a weak TAK1 immunopositivity. (K) Statistical comparison of p-SMAD1/5 and TAK1 signal intensities in mesothelial cells (***p < 0.001). (Arrowheads: mesothelial cells; blue: DAPI; green: (A–E) p-SMAD1/5, (F–J) TAK1; data of the statistical analyses and cell numbers of the groups are presented in Supplementary Table S1). Bar ~ 10.80 µm.
