fig3

Figure 3. The effect of glucose and Ins on collagen synthesis and HSCs proliferation. Primary HSC cultures were incubated in DMEM enriched with 50 or 450 mg/dL glucose with (Ins, 5 µmol) or without (Ctrl) Ins. COL1 promoter activity was assayed as in the legend in Figure 2A (A). Promoter activity of COL1 was assayed in cells incubated with different glucose concentrations (in mg/dL, X-axis) without concomitant Ins treatment (B). Alamar blue assay was used to test the effect of Ins on cell proliferation. Cell proliferation was determined by a colorimetric change in the medium measured as a difference in culture media absorbance at 570 and 600 nm (C). HSCs: Hepatic stellate cells; DMEM: Dulbecco’s modified Eagle Medium; COL1: type 1 collagen; Ins: insulin; Ctrl: control.