Fig 2: Levels of mRNA associated with inflammation and fibrosis in renal tissue in mice. Relative mRNA levels of (A) CTGF, (B) IL-6, (C) Col-I and (D) Col-III. ß-Actin was used as a housekeeping gene. Data are presented as the mean ± standard deviation, n=4. The same superscript symbols indicate no significant difference between groups (P>0.05); a significant difference existed between groups that do not have the same superscript symbol (P<0.05). CTGF, connective tissue growth factor; Col, collagen type.

Fig 3: Expression of TGF-ß1 immunoreactivity in vein (A) before surgery, (B) fistula vein in control group 3 weeks after surgery, (C) fistula vein in hydraulic expansion group 3 weeks after surgery. Expression of CTGF immunoreactivity in vein (D) before surgery, (E) fistula vein in control group 3 weeks after surgery, (F) fistula vein in hydraulic expansion group 3 weeks after surgery. (DAB staining of immunocomplexes, ×200; scale bars represent 50 µm). CTGF, connective tissue growth factor; DAB, diaminobenzidine; TGF-ß1, transforming growth factor-ß1.

Fig 4: IHC staining images of the renal tissue in mice and analyses. (A) Representative IHC staining images of the renal tissue in mice and quantitative results of IHC staining, which are presented as IOD/area and are proportional to the levels of (B) PPAR?, (C) TNF-a, (D) TGF-ß1 and (E) CTGF. Scale bars, 10 µm. Data are presented as the mean ± standard deviation, n=4. The same superscript symbols indicate no significant difference between groups (P>0.05); a significant difference existed between groups that do not have the same superscript symbol (P<0.05). IHC, immunohistochemistry; PPAR?, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ?; CTGF, connective tissue growth factor; WT, wild type; Rg3, ginsenoside Rg3; Re, ginsenoside Re.