[Hepatocyte apoptosis and the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in Yin-jaundice rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of Yinchen Shufu Decoction on hepatocyte apoptosis and the expression of its apoptosis-regulating gene Bcl-2 and Bax in Yin-jaundice rats.


METHODS
Forty-eight rats were divided randomly into 4 groups: the normal control group, Yin-jaundice model group, Yang-jaundice model group, Yinchen Shufu Decoction treatment group. The TUNEL assay and the immunohistochemistry assay were used to detect the apoptosis of hepatocytes and the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in hepatocytes respectively.


RESULTS
The rate of apoptosis cells in Yin-jaundice model group was higher significantly than that in Yang-jaundice model group and normal control group (P<0.01), the expression of Bcl-2 in Yinchen Shufu Decoction treatment group was higher significantly than that in Yin-jaundice model group (P<0.01 or P<0.05), and the expression of Bax in it was lower significantly than that in Ying-jaundice model group (P<0.01 or P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Yinchen Shufu Decoction can prevent hepatocyte apoptosis perhaps by up-regulating the expression of Bcl-2 and down-regulating the expression of Bax. It is one of the mechanisms of its treatment on Yin-jaundice.
Zhang
Jian-Jun
JJ
Institute of Liver Diseases, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430061, China. zjj7883@public.wh.hb.cn
He
Gan-Xiang
GX
Zhang
Chi-Zhi
CZ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007565:Jaundice / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
C494828:Bax protein, rat; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein