Effects of platelet-derived growth factor and interleukin-10 on Fas/Fas-ligand and Bcl-2/Bax mRNA expression in rat hepatic stellate cells in vitro.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) on Fas/Fas-ligand and Bcl-2/Bax mRNA expressions in rat hepatic stellate cells.


METHODS
Rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were isolated and purified from rat liver by in situ digestion of collagenase and pronase and single-step density Nycodenz gradient. After activated by culture in vitro, HSCs were divided into 4 groups and treated with nothing (group N), PDGF (group P), IL-10 (group I) and PDGF in combination with IL-10 (group C), respectively. Semi-quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was employed to compare the mRNA expression levels of Fas/FasL and Bcl-2/Bax in HSCs of each group.


RESULTS
The expression levels of Fas between the 4 groups had no significant differences (P>0.05). FasL mRNA level in normal culture-activated HSCs (group N) was very low. It increased obviously after HSCs were treated with IL-10 (group I) (0.091+/-0.007 vs 0.385+/-0.051, P<0.01), but remained the low level after treated with PDGF alone (group P) or PDGF in combination with IL-10 (group C). Contrast to the control group, after treated with PDGF and IL-10, either alone or in combination, Bcl-2 mRNA expression was down-regulated and Bax mRNA expression was up-regulated, both following the turn from group P, group I to group C. Expression of Bcl-2 mRNA in group C was significantly lower than that in group P (0.126+/-0.008 vs 0.210+/-0.024, P<0.01). But no significant difference was found between group C and group I, as well as between group I and group P (P>0.05). Similarly, the expression of Bax in group C was higher than that in group P (0.513+/-0.016 vs 0.400+/-0.022, P<0.01). No significant difference was found between group I and group P (P>0.05). But compared with group C, Bax expressions in group I tended to decrease (0.449+/-0.028 vs 0.513+/-0.016, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
PDGF may promote proliferation of HSCs but is neutral with respect to HSC apoptosis. IL-10 may promote the apoptosis of HSCs by up-regulating the expressions of FasL and Bax and down-regulating the expression of Bcl-2, which may be involved in its antifibrosis mechanism.
Department of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001, Fujian Province, China. drwangxz@pub6.fz.fj.cn
Xiao-Zhong
XZ
Wang
Sheng-Jun
SJ
Zhang
Yun-Xin
YX
Chen
Zhi-Xin
ZX
Chen
Yue-Hong
YH
Huang
Li-Juan
LJ
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics*
C494828:Bax protein, rat; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505662:Faslg protein, rat; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor; D016753:Interleukin-10