Effects of drug serum of anti-fibrosis I herbal compound on calcium in hepatic stellate cell and its molecular mechanism

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the effects of anti-fibrosis I herbal compound on intracellular Ca2+ in activated hepatic stellate cell (HSC) and to try to survey its molecular mechanism in treatment and prevention of hepatic fibrosis and portal hypertension. Methods: The activated HSC line was plated on small glass cover slips in 24 wells culture dishes at a density of 5×106 /mL, and incubated in RPMI-1640 media for 24 h. After the cells were loaded with Fluo-3/AM, intracellular Ca2+ was measured with laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). The dynamic changes of intracellular Ca2+, stimulated by carbon tetrachloride, TGF-β1 antibody and the drug serum of anti-fibrosis I herbal compound and under orthogonal design were determined by LSCM. The effect of anti-fibrosis I herbal compound on intracellular Ca2+ was observed before and after the addition of TGF-β1 antibody. Results: The intracellular Ca2+ were significantly different in different dosage of carbon tetrachloride anti-fibrosis I formula drug serum, TGF-β1 antibody and different turn of these substance, but their interval time between CCl4 and TGF-β1 antibody, CCl4 and anti-fibrosis I drug serum had no influence on intracellular Ca2+. The result showed intracellular Ca2+ wasn't significantly different between rat serum without anti-fibrosis I and untreated group. After carbon tetrachloride stimulation, intracellular Ca2+ of activated HSC increased significantly when the dosage of CCl4 from 5 to 15 mmol/L, however, decreased significantly after stimulation by 5-20 μg/mL TGF-β1 antibody or 5-20 mL/L drug serum. Moreover, before and after the addition of TGF-β1 antibody, intracellular Ca2+ was significantly different. These results suggested that the molecular mechanism was independent of blocking TGF-β1 effects. Conclusions: Anti-fibrosis I herbal compound may treat hepatic fibrosis and decrease portal hypertension by inhibiting activated HSC contractility through decrease of intracellular Ca2+. © 2005 The WJG Press and Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.