Genistein does not Inhibit TGF-β1-Induced Conversion of Human Dermal Fibroblasts to Myofibroblasts

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) is a pro-fibrotic cytokine with a key role in wound repair and regeneration, including induction of fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition. Genistein is a naturally occurring selective estrogen receptor modulator with promising anti-fibrotic properties. In the present study we aimed to investigate whether genistein modulates TGF-beta 1 (canonical and non-canonical) signaling in normal dermal fibroblasts at the protein level (Western blot and immunofluorescence). We demonstrated that TGF-beta 1 induces the myofibroblast-like phenotype in the studied fibroblast signaling via canonical (SMAD) and non-canonical (AKT, ERK1/2, ROCK) pathways. Genistein induced only ERK1/2 expression, whereas the combination of TGF-beta 1 and genistein attenuated the ERK1/2 and ROCK signaling. Of note, the other studied pathways remained almost unaffected. From this point of view, genistein does not impair conversion of normal fibroblasts to myofibroblast-like cells.