Reviewer's report
Title:Mitochondrial Uncouplers Inhibit Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation
Version: 1Date:2 March 2012
Reviewer: christian Fingas
Reviewer's report:
Guimarães et al. describe the effect of induced mild mitochondrial uncoupling on
hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and fibrogenic activity. Mitochondrial
uncouplers were shown to be capable of inhibiting initial HSC activation, reducing
HSC proliferation as well as suppressing TGF-# signaling suggesting
mitochondrial uncoupling as a new strategy for liver fibrosis therapy Overall, this
is an interesting, well written manuscript with no major weaknesses.
Major Compulsory Revisions:
n/a
Minor Essential Revisions:
1) All data are expressed as mean ± SEM and not mean ± SD as it is claimed in
“Statistical analysis” of the “Materials and Methods” section.
2) The reviewer assumes that FCCP and Valinomycin concentrations of 5 µM
were employed in the experiments Fig.1, 4 and 5 (similarly to Fig. 2). However,
this should be mentioned in the figure legends or “Result” section.
Discretionary Revisions:
1) As a courtesy to the reader, information about product lengths for each primer
pair as well as suppliers of the agents SnPP and TGF-# should be provided.
2) Fig. 2C could be confirmed by immunoblot (similarly to Fig. 6B/C). The effect
of FCCP and Valinomycin demonstrated in Fig. 6B to a certain amount might be
due to unequal loading.
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
Reviewer's report
Title:Mitochondrial Uncouplers Inhibit Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation
Version: 1Date:2 March 2012
Reviewer: christian Fingas
Reviewer's report:
Guimarães et al. describe the effect of induced mild mitochondrial uncoupling on
hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and fibrogenic activity. Mitochondrial
uncouplers were shown to be capable of inhibiting initial HSC activation, reducing
HSC proliferation as well as suppressing TGF-# signaling suggesting
mitochondrial uncoupling as a new strategy for liver fibrosis therapy Overall, this
is an interesting, well written manuscript with no major weaknesses.
Major Compulsory Revisions:
n/a
Minor Essential Revisions:
1) All data are expressed as mean ± SEM and not mean ± SD as it is claimed in
“Statistical analysis” of the “Materials and Methods” section.
2) The reviewer assumes that FCCP and Valinomycin concentrations of 5 µM
were employed in the experiments Fig.1, 4 and 5 (similarly to Fig. 2). However,
this should be mentioned in the figure legends or “Result” section.
Discretionary Revisions:
1) As a courtesy to the reader, information about product lengths for each primer
pair as well as suppliers of the agents SnPP and TGF-# should be provided.
2) Fig. 2C could be confirmed by immunoblot (similarly to Fig. 6B/C). The effect
of FCCP and Valinomycin demonstrated in Fig. 6B to a certain amount might be
due to unequal loading.
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:Mitochondrial Uncouplers Inhibit Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation
Version: 1Date:2 March 2012
Reviewer: christian Fingas
Reviewer's report:
Guimarães et al. describe the effect of induced mild mitochondrial uncoupling on
hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and fibrogenic activity. Mitochondrial
uncouplers were shown to be capable of inhibiting initial HSC activation, reducing
HSC proliferation as well as suppressing TGF-# signaling suggesting
mitochondrial uncoupling as a new strategy for liver fibrosis therapy Overall, this
is an interesting, well written manuscript with no major weaknesses.
Major Compulsory Revisions:
n/a
Minor Essential Revisions:
1) All data are expressed as mean ± SEM and not mean ± SD as it is claimed in
“Statistical analysis” of the “Materials and Methods” section.
2) The reviewer assumes that FCCP and Valinomycin concentrations of 5 µM
were employed in the experiments Fig.1, 4 and 5 (similarly to Fig. 2). However,
this should be mentioned in the figure legends or “Result” section.
Discretionary Revisions:
1) As a courtesy to the reader, information about product lengths for each primer
pair as well as suppliers of the agents SnPP and TGF-# should be provided.
2) Fig. 2C could be confirmed by immunoblot (similarly to Fig. 6B/C). The effect
of FCCP and Valinomycin demonstrated in Fig. 6B to a certain amount might be
due to unequal loading.
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
assistant