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Mohit Kapoor, Shangxi Liu, Xu Shi-wen, Kun Huh, Matthew McCann, Christopher P. Denton, James R. Woodgett, David J. Abraham, Andrew Leask
Published in Volume 118, Issue 10
J Clin Invest. 2008; 118(10):3279–3290 doi:10.1172/JCI35381
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Figure 8
The dual ETA/B receptor antagonist bosentan alleviates the phenotype of GSK-3β–deficient fibroblasts (in vitro).

(A) α-SMA immunofluorescence. Gsk3b-C and Gsk3b-CKO fibroblasts were treated with bosentan for 48 hours, and α-SMA immunofluorescence was performed. Representative data from n = 4 cell lines from 4 mice are shown. Arrows indicate α-SMA–positive stress fibers. Scale bar: 50 μm. (B) α-SMA protein expression. Bosentan treatment significantly (P < 0.05) reversed the enhanced protein expression of α-SMA in Gsk3b-CKO fibroblasts. Representative data from n = 4 cell lines from 4 mice are shown. (C and D) α-SMA and Col1a2 mRNA expression. Bosentan treatment significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the expression of both α-SMA and type I collagen in Gsk3b-CKO fibroblasts (n = 5 cell lines from 5 mice). (E) Migration scratch assay. Bosentan treatment significantly (P < 0.05) decreased migration of Gsk3b-CKO fibroblasts (n = 4 cell lines from 4 mice). Scale bar: 200 μm. (F) Percent adhesion to fibronectin. Bosentan treatment significantly (P < 0.05) reversed the enhanced adhesion of Gsk3b-CKO dermal fibroblasts to fibronectin (n = 4 cell lines from 4 mice). (G) Gel contraction assay. Bosentan treatment significantly (P < 0.05) reversed the enhanced ability of Gsk3b-CKO fibroblasts to contract the collagen gel matrix (n = 3; mean ± SEM is indicated). *P < 0.05.