Twenty-eight days after shNRP-1 minicircle delivery, rats demonstrated modest but significant NRP-1 knockdown along with basal increase in the endothelial markers, down-regulation of mesenchymal markers and TGFβ1-responsive Slug and CTGF expression (Figure 4A, 4B, 4C) and reduced tumor fibrosis (Figure 4C). The gene discussed is CCN2; the disease is neoplasm.