Epithelial-mesenchymal transition involved in pulmonary fibrosis induced by multi-walled carbon nanotubes via TGF-beta/Smad signaling pathway

- MWCNT induced pulmonary fibrosis in a length dependent manner.
- Only long MWCNT produced the observed pulmonary fibrosis in C57Bl/6J mice.
- EMT contributed to the adverse outcome of pulmonary fibrosis induced by MWCNT.
- TGF-β/p-Smad2 signaling pathway played a pivotal role in the occurrence of EMT.