Fig. 3

GLP-1 analogue liraglutide suppressed CD68 positive macrophages infiltration (a), TB staining positive mast cells accumulation (b), and decreased the mRNA expression of tgf-β1, il-1β, il-6 and tnf-α in lung tissues from rats with MCT-induced PH (c). Besides, liraglutide reduced the number of α-SMA positive endothelial cells (labeled by CD31) (white arrow) (d), and partly recovered the expression of endothelial markers (ve-cadherin and vwf), as well as inhibited mesenchymal markers (vimentin and fibronectin) in mRNA levels in lung tissues from rats with MCT-induced PH (e). Furthermore, liraglutide successfully suppressed MCT-induced decrease in VE-cadherin and increase in Fibronectin (f). Data were presented as the mean ± s.e.m. (n = 6–8). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. VE-cadherin, vascular endothelial cadherin; vwf, von Willebrand Factor