Green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits ethanol-induced activation of pancreatic stellate cells.
BACKGROUND
Activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) play a central role in the pathogenesis of pancreatic fibrogenesis and inflammation. Ethanol, a major cause of chronic pancreatitis, directly induces PSC activation and oxidative stress. Inhibition of PSC activation or stimulation to PSC might be an effective therapeutic strategy for the prevention of pancreatic fibrosis, and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major component of green tea extracts, is a potent antioxidant of polyphenols. Therefore, we examined the mechanisms through which ethanol induces oxidative stress on PSCs and evaluated the effect of EGCG on activation and cell functions of ethanol-stimulated PSCs.


METHODS
The PSCs were isolated from the pancreas of male Wister rats with Nycodenz gradient methods and cells between passages one and four were used. Isolated PSCs were cultured with ethanol (50 mM) in the absence or presence of EGCG (5 microM or 25 microM).


RESULTS
The EGCG pre-treatment abolished ethanol-induced lipid peroxidation of the cell membrane, loss of total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and suppressed ethanol-induced gene expressions of Mn- and Cu/Zn-SOD. EGCG also suppressed ethanol-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphorylation, alpha-smooth muscle actin production in PSCs and activated transforming growth factor-beta1 secretion into the medium. Furthermore, EGCG inhibited ethanol-induced type-I procollagen production and collagen secretion. In addition, EGCG inhibited transformation of freshly isolated cells to activated myofibroblast-like phenotype.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that green tea and polyphenols could prevent pancreatic fibrosis by inhibiting PSC activation through the antioxidative effect.
Asaumi
H
H
Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Watanabe
S
S
Taguchi
M
M
Tashiro
M
M
Nagashio
Y
Y
Nomiyama
Y
Y
Nakamura
H
H
Otsuki
M
M
D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism*; D059808:Polyphenols; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
D000199:Actins; D000975:Antioxidants; D002392:Catechin; D003094:Collagen; D024042:Collagen Type I; D000431:Ethanol; D005419:Flavonoids; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D010636:Phenols; D059808:Polyphenols; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate