Fig. 6: Knockout of Atg7 ameliorates fibroblast activation and experimental dermal and pulmonary fibrosis.

a, b Cultured murine Atg7 knockout fibroblasts. a Expression of αSMA and formation of stress fibers. Representative images and quantification (n = 6 biological replicates per group). b mRNA levels of Co1la1 analyzed by qRT-PCR (n = 6 biological replicates per group), type I collagen protein as analyzed by western blot (n = 6 biological replicates per group) and total collagen analyzed by hydroxyproline assays (n = 4 biological replicates per group). Horizontal scale bar, 100 µm. c–e Mice with fibroblast-specific knockout of Atg7. c TβRIact-induced skin fibrosis: Representative trichrome stainings, dermal thickening, myofibroblast counts (n = 4 biological replicates per group) and hydroxyproline content (n = 5 biological replicates for Atg7^fib TβRIact group, n = 3 other groups). d Experimental pulmonary fibrosis induced by intratracheal instillation of bleomycin: Representative trichrome stainings, hydroxyproline content, fibrotic area (n = 4 biological replicates per group), Ashcroft scores (n = 3 biological replicates per groups) and myofibroblast counts (n = 4 biological replicates per group). e Experimental dermal fibrosis induced by subcutaneous injections of bleomycin: Representative trichrome stainings, dermal thickening (n = 3 biological replicates for Atg7^control and n = 4 for other groups) myofibroblast counts (n = 4 biological replicates per group) and hydroxyproline content (n = 3 biological replicates for Atg7^control and Atg7^control Bleo groups and n = 4 for other groups). Horizontal scale bars, 100 µm. Western blot samples in panel b were run on the same gel. Images were cropped at the lines only for the purpose of this figure. All data are presented as median ± IQR. p-values were determined by ANOVA one-way with Tukey’s multiple comparison post hoc test and are indicated in the figure. See source data for more detailed information. rel.: relative, Ad: adenovirus, fluo.: fluorescence, conc.: concentration. TβRIact: constitutively active TGFβ receptor type I, Bleo: bleomycin, Atg7^control: littermate control mice Atg7^fib: fibroblast-specific Atg7 knockout mice.