title: Matrine inhibits production and actions of fibrogenic cytokines released by mouse peritoneal macrophages.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of matrine (Mat) on production and actions of fibrogenic cytokines from mouse peritoneal macrophages.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mouse peritoneal macrophages were primed with calcimycin 1 micromol/L for 8 h then elicited by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) 100 microg/L for 6 h to induce fibrogenic cytokines. Proliferative and collagen stimulating activity in the macrophage culture supernatants was determined by crystal violet staining assay and [3H]-proline incorporation assay using rat hepatic stellate HSC-T6 cell or mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cell. Transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) activity was measured by [3H]-thymidine incorporation assay using Mv-1-Lu mink lung epithelial cell.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mat (0.5-2 mmol/L) was shown to significantly inhibit LPS-induced collagen stimulating activities and TGFbeta production (P < 0.01) whereas did not inhibit proliferative activities induced by macrophages. Macrophage conditioned medium (MCM)-driven proliferation and collagen synthesis of HSC-T6 cells as well as NIH3T3 cells were attenuated by Mat (0.5-2 mmol/L) in a concentration-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antifibrotic effects of Mat on hepatic stellate cells may be related to reduction of fibrogenic cytokine production and blockade of their actions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China. zjp@smmu.edu.cn
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011807:Quinolizines; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000093842:Matrines
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D011807:Quinolizines; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D003094:Collagen; D000093842:Matrines