Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation is able to attenuate organ fibrosis; however, increasing evidence has indicated that MSCs may be an important cell source of myofibroblasts, which are vital pathogenic cells in fibrotic diseases. The results of the present study revealed that co-culturing with exogenous transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 can induce the transdifferentiation of cultured rat MSCs into myofibroblasts in vitro. Treatment of the MSCs with tranilast [N-(3',4'-dimethoxycinnamoyl)-anthranilic acid] attenuated this fibrotic p...
