Fig 1: TFPI2 promotes TGF-ß/Smad signaling activation. Human renal glomerular endothelial cells (hRGECs) were infected with adenovirus encoding shRNA targeting TFPI2 (TFPI2 shRNA) or overexpressing TFPI2 (TFPI2 OE), followed by stimulation of 5 ng/ml TGF-ß2 for 48 h. A, the expression of SMAD7, TGFBR1, TGFBR2, SMAD2/3, and phospho-SMAD2/3 (p-SMAD2/3) was determined by Western blot. Semiquantitative analysis of (B) SMAD7, (C) TGFBR1, and (D) TGFBR2, as well as (E and F) the ratio of p-SMAD2/3 to SMAD2/3. G and H, immunofluorescent staining of SMAD2/3 in hRGECs. Yellow arrows indicated nuclear translocation of SMAD2/3. Data are shown as the mean ± SD (n = 3). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. TGF-ß, transforming growth factor beta; TFP12, tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2.