Figure 5

CTGF inhibits IL-1β-mediated p38 MAPK activation, but activate ERK pathway of h PSCs. (A) h PSCs were first incubated in serum-free DMEM for 24 hours and then pre-treated with 10 ng/ml of IL-1β in serum-free DMEM for 30 minutes and then incubated with 50 ng/ml of CTGF for 15, 30, and 60 minutes in serum-free DMEM (n = 3). Lane 1 as basal control and lane 2, 4, and 6 as positive controls of lane 3, 5, and 7. Lane 2, 4, and 6, were compared with basal control; lane 3 was compared with lane 2; Lane 5 was compared with lane 4; and lane 7 was compared with lane 6. (B) h PSCs were first incubated in serum-free DMEM for 24 hours and then pre-treated with 10 ng/ml of IL-1β in serum-free DMEM for 30 minutes and then incubated with 50 ng/ml of CTGF for 30 minutes in serum-free DMEM (n = 3). Lane 1 as basal control and lane 2 as positive control, lane 3 was compared with positive control and lane 4 was compared with basal control. (C) h PSCs were first incubated in serum-free DMEM for 24 hours and then pre-treated with 10 ng/ml of IL-1β in serum-free DMEM for 30 minutes and then treated with 10 ng/ml of TGF-β1 or 50 ng/ml of CTGF alone or combined for 30 minutes in serum-free DMEM (n = 3). Lane 1 as basal control and lane 2 as positive control, lane 3 to lane 5 was compared with positive control.