TIMP1 and Hepatic fibrosis: RT-PCR and WB analyses indicated that liver fibrosis-related factors (including α-SMA, TGF-β1, TIMP-1, MMP-2, and Vimentin) were significantly downregulated, while E-cadherin was significantly upregulated in wild-type and αERKO mice after SSd treatment (Figures 6A,B).