TGFB1 and Hepatic fibrosis: In the present study, the mRNA expression of TGF-β1, Smad2/3, TGFβRI and TGFβRII was significantly stronger in the livers of C. sinensis infected-mice than that in control ones, and these changes were positively correlated with the degrees of hepatic fibrosis (data is not shown), suggesting that TGFβ/Smad signaling pathway may be involved in the development of liver fibrosis due to C. sinensis infection.