Fig. 2

XIST aggravated HLF cells proliferation, anti-apoptosis, and fibrosis in vitro. A HLF cells were infected with XIST overexpression adenovirus and RNAi adenovirus against XIST, and the expression of XIST was confirmed by RT-qPCR. B Growth curves of HLF cells infected with the indicated adenovirus was evaluated by CCK-8 assays. C/D The apoptosis ratios of HLF cells infected with the indicated adenovirus were assessed by flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI double staining. E The protein expression of apoptosis-related genes (cleaved caspase3, Bax, and Bcl-2) in HLF cells infected with the indicated adenovirus was measured by western blotting. F and G The protein expression of fibrosis-related genes (collagen I, collagen III, MMP2, and MMP13) in HLF cells infected with the indicated adenovirus was confirmed by western blotting. C-caspase 3, cleaved-caspase3; shNC, corresponding negative control of shXIST; shXIST, the RNAi adenovirus against XIST; OE-NC, corresponding negative control of OE-XIST; OE-XIST, the overexpression adenovirus of XIST. ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01, and ^***P < 0.001