Figure 6

Effects of smoke exposure on mRNA expressions of TGF-β and Smad family members in BAL cells or lung tissues of OVA-induced asthmatic mice. Experimental conditions and group symbols used were described in Fig. 1. BAL cells or lung tissues were collected. mRNA expressions of TGFβ and Smads or Smad3 phosphorylation were analyzed by RT-PCR and western blot, respectively. Mean ± SEM (n = 4) for values measured by densitometry analysis was indicated by histogram. (A) Band images (left panel) and histogram (right panel) for TGF-β mRNA expressions. (B) Histogram for mRNA expressions of Smads. (C) Histogram for expressions and activities of Smad2/3. ***, P < 0.001versus PBS/NS mice. ⁺⁺⁺, P < 0.001 versus OVA/NS or PBS/S mice. In Figure 5B and 5C, the symbols comparing to OVA/S mice and OVA/NS or PBS/S mice did not indicate to avoid complexity. The symbols comparing to OVA/S mice and OVA/NS mice or PBS/S mice was not indicated to avoid complexity.