[Effect of HanDanGanLe on the cytokines in fibrotic rats].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) mRNA and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFbeta1) mRNA in immunity-induced liver fibrosis rats and the effect of HanDanGanLe on them.


METHODS
Male wistar rats were given intraperitoneal injection of porcine serum twice a week. At the beginning, the rats in HanDanGanLe-treatment group were feed with HanDanGanLe for precaution. The rats were killed after twelve weeks, then CTGF mRNA and TGFbeta1 mRNA were detected in liver samples with in situ hybridization, and the formation of liver fibrosis was observed with HE stain. The semi-quantitative


RESULTS
of the two genes expression were analysed along with the stages of hepatic fibrosis.


RESULTS
Typical liver fibrosis developed in the model group rats, and the positive stain of CTGF mRNA and TGFbeta1 mRNA increased, which was distributed in the areas where fibrosis occurred. There was obvious correlation between the expression strength of CTGF mRNA and TGFbeta1 mRNA (r = 0.799, P < 0.05). In the rats receiving HanDanGanLe, CTGF mRNA expression index decreased markedly (12.5+/-2.3 vs 28.8+/-1.4, t = 5.208, P < 0.01), so did TGFbeta1 mRNA expression index (25.4+/-3.2 vs 37.3+/-5.4, t = 5.655, P < 0.01). There was also significant correlation between the scores of CTGF mRNA expression and the stages of hepatic fibrosis (rs = 0.822, 0.808 in the model group and HanDanGanLe-treatment group, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of CTGF mRNA and TGFbeta1 mRNA is correlated closely with hepatic fibrosis degree. HanDanGanLe can effectively prevent the expression of CTGF and TGFbeta1. One of the mechanisms of the intervention may be its blocking the intracellular signalling pathways involved in liver fibrogenesis.
Zhang
Wen-sheng
WS
Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guiyang Medical College, Guiyang 550004, China.
Cheng
Ming-liang
ML
Lu
Yin-ying
YY
D000818:Animals; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
C526316:CCN2 protein, rat; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C508962:Tgfb1 protein, rat; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor