Figure 1.

Adiponectin inhibits collagen and alpha-smooth muscle actin gene expression. Confluent control (A-C) or scleroderma (D) dermal fibroblasts were incubated with adiponectin (5 ug/ml) for 24 to 36 hours. A. Total RNA was subjected to real-time qPCR. The results represent the means ± SEM of triplicate determinations. * P <0.05, ** P <0.01. B, D. Whole cell lysates were analyzed by Western blot. Representative autoradiographs. C. Fibroblasts were immunostained with antibodies to Type I collagen (red) or α-SMA (green), or stained with DAPI (blue), and examined by confocal microscopy. Representative immunofluorescence photomicrographs. Original magnification × 60. α-SMA, α-smooth muscle actin; DAPI, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; SEM, standard error of the mean.