Journal: Advanced Science

Article Title: Inhibition of Integrin α v β 6 Activation of TGF‐ β Attenuates Tendinopathy

doi: 10.1002/advs.202104469

Figure Lengend Snippet: Integrin α v β 6 active latent TGF‐ β in response to mechanical stress drives the progression of tendinopathy. A) Representative images and B) quantification of immunostaining of tendon sections with antibodies against α v β 6 at 1, 4, and 8 weeks after DI or sham processing. Scale bar: 50 µm. All data are shown as the mean ± standard deviation ( n = 8 mice per group). * p < 0.05 compared with sham group as determined by one‐way analysis of variance. C) A schematic diagram of the ex vivo tensile model. D) Frequency distribution of tendon fiber orientation. E,G) Representative images and F,H) quantification of E,F) pSmad2 + cells and (G, H) TUNEL + cells. Scale bars: 50 µm. I) Western blot of pSmad2 and Smad2 levels in tendon lysates. J) Quantification of pSmad2 relative density relative to physiological loading group (20 g) in tendon lysates after above‐mentioned treatment. K) Quantitative analysis of maximum tensile force and stiffness of tendons. All data from B, F, H, J, and K are shown as the mean ± standard deviation ( n = 8 per group). * p < 0.05 compared with 200 g loaded group as determined by one‐way analysis of variance.

Article Snippet: Sections were incubated with primary antibodies to human CD68 (Abcam, Cambridge, UK, ab955, 1:200), human Col2 (Abcam, ab34712, 1:100), human MMP13 (Abcam, ab3208, 1:40), human/mouse pSmad2 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Dallas, TX, sc‐11769, 1:50), mouse Col2 (Abcam, ab185430, 1:100), mouse CD68 (Abcam, ab125212, 1:100), mouse MMP13 (Abcam, ab219620, 1:100), mouse green fluorescent protein (Abcam, ab290, 1:200), and integrin α v β 6 (Bioss Antibodies, Woburn, MA, bs‐5791R‐Biotin, 1:100) overnight at 4 °C.

Techniques: Immunostaining, Standard Deviation, Ex Vivo, TUNEL Assay, Western Blot