Figure 5
Pharmacodynamic effects of TGF-β antagonists in vivo. A. Protein extracts from snap-frozen uninvolved lung tissue of mice treated with vehicle and LY2109761 and of mice treated with controls and 1D11 were prepared and subject to Western blotting using rabbit phosphoSmad2 antibody (1:1000 dilution). Whole cell lysate from SCP2TR was used as a control (Co). Treatment with both antagonists resulted in a reduction of phosphorylated Smad2 levels. Values represent the means and SD of three mice per group. Unpaired 2-sided t-test was used for comparisons. B. RNA was extracted from snap-frozen uninvolved kidneys of mice treated with vehicle or LY2109761 using Trizol reagent (Invitrogen) and purified using RNeasy mini columns (Qiagen) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transcript levels of CTGF and PAI-1 were assayed using the QuantiTect™ Probe RT-PCR Kit on a Mx4000® Multiplex Quantitative PCR System (Stratagene). Treatment with LY2109761 significantly reduced mRNA levels of both CTGF and PAI-1 relative to GAPDH mRNA. Values represent the means and SD of three mice per group. Unpaired 2-sided t-test was used for comparisons. C. RNA was extracted from snap-frozen lungs of mice treated with vehicle, isotype control antibody or 1D11 and transcript levels determined as described above. No significant reduction in CTGF or PAI-1 mRNA levels could be detected in the 1D11-treated group. Values represent the means and SD of two independent experiments, 3 mice per group. Unpaired 2-sided t-test was used for comparisons.