SMAD2 and Hepatic fibrosis: Furthermore, in a mouse model of liver fibrosis as well as TGF-β-exposed myofibroblasts, administration of this compound inhibits the phosphorylation of two essential downstream mediators of TGF-β pathway, Smad2 and Smad3, together with decreasing the expression of α-SMA as well as JNK phosphorylation50.