Effect of Fuzhenghuayu decoction on vascular endothelial growth factor secretion in hepatic stellate cells.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of Fuzhenghuayu decoction on autocrine activation of hepatic stellate cell (HSC).


METHODS
The drug serum containing Fuzhenghuayu decoction was collected from normal rats, and cultured with activated HSC in vitro. The conditioned medium from the drug serum treated HSC was added to primary cultured quiescent HSC. Cell proliferation was assayed by tetrazolium colorimetric test, and the contents of type I collagen and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the supernatant were measured with ELISA.


RESULTS
The conditioned medium from activated HSC could stimulate the quiescent HSC proliferation and type I collagen secretion. The drug serum inhibited this stimulating action and VEGF secretion from the activated HSC.


CONCLUSIONS
Fuzhenghuayu decoction acts effectively against the autocrine activation pathway of HSC. The mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of the secretion of VEGF by activated HSC.
Liu
Cheng
C
Institute of Liver Diseases and Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China.
Jiang
Cun-Meng
CM
Liu
Cheng-Hai
CH
Liu
Ping
P
Hu
Yi-Yang
YY
D000818:Animals; D019898:Autocrine Communication; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A