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Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Development of an In Vitro Assay to Evaluate Contractile Function of Mesenchymal Cells that Underwent Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: June 10, 2016
[Transforming growth factor-β1 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in A549 cells by up-regulating expression of
Objective:
To investigate the effect of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) on epithelial-mesenchymal transition in type II alveolar epithelial cells and the relationship with Calpain.
Methods:
The type II alveolar epithelial cell line-A549 cells cultured in vitro were divided into 4 groups: the control group, the TGF-βl group, the TGF-β1 + PD150606 group, the PD150606 group. Given the corresponding processing,Western-blot and RT-PCR were utilized to evaluate the expression of Calpain- 1,E-cad and α-SMA.
Results:
Compared with the control group, the protein and mRNA expression of Calpain-1 and α-SMA in the TGF-β1 group was markedly increased, but the protein and mRNA expression of E-cad was significantly decreased. While, after calpain inhibitor PD150606 was added, the protein and mRNA expression of Calpain-1 and α-SMA was markedly decreased and the protein and mRNA expression of E-cad was significantly increased in the TGF-βl + PD150606 group, but there was no difference between TGF-β1 + PD150606 group and control group. But with Calpain inhibitor PD150606 alone, the expression of Calpain-1,E-cad and α-SMA was no difference with the control group.
Conclusions:
TGF-βl could induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition in A549 cells by up-regulating expression of calpain which could be inhibited by calpain inhibitor PD150606.
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