Effects of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi on macrophage-hepatocyte interaction through cytokines related to growth control of murine hepatocytes.
The aim of this study is to elucidate the effects of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SbG) extract and its constituents on macrophage-hepatocyte interaction in primary cultures. By using trans-well primary Kupffer cell culture or conditioned medium (CM) from murine macrophage RAW264.7 cell line (RAW cells), effects of SbG on hepatocyte growth were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide and trypan blue exclusion assay. Cytokine production, antibody-neutralization studies, and molecular mechanisms of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 gene expression were elucidated on SbG-treated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, recombinant human TGF-beta1 (r-human TGF-beta1) was added to elucidate the mechanisms of SbG effects on cultured hepatocytes. Immunohistochemistry using anti-NF-kappaB antibody was used to determine the possible signal transduction pathways in primary hepatocyte culture. The results showed that SbG stimulated the proliferation of cultured hepatocytes, possibly through NF-kappaB, but not of Toll-like receptor 4 activation; whereas SbG-RAW-CM and SbG in trans-well significantly suppressed the proliferation of hepatocytes. Antibody-neutralization studies revealed that TGF-beta1 was the main antimitotic cytokine in SbG-treated RAW cells CM. The growth stimulation effect of SbG on cultured hepatocytes was inhibited by exogenous administration of r-human TGF-beta1. Furthermore, SbG induced NF-kB translocation into the nuclei of cultured cells. In the RAW264.7 line, SbG and baicalin stimulated TGF-beta1 gene expression via NF-kappaB and protein kinase C activation. We conclude that SbG stimulates hepatocyte growth via activation of the NF-kappaB pathway and induces TGF-beta1 gene expression through the Kupffer cell-hepatocyte interaction, which subsequently results in the inhibition of SbG-stimulated hepatocyte growth.
Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 112 Taiwan, R.O.C.
Jir-You
JY
Wang
Han-Ning
HN
Chuang
Jen-Hwey
JH
Chiu
Shu-Ling
SL
Fu
Tung-Hu
TH
Tsai
Ann-Ping
AP
Tsou
Cheng-Po
CP
Hu
Chin-Wen
CW
Chi
Sheau-Farn
SF
Yeh
Wing-Yiu
WY
Lui
Chew-Wun
CW
Wu
Chen-Kung
CK
Chou
D000818:Animals; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects*; D002452:Cell Count; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D031364:Scutellaria baicalensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D015850:Interleukin-6; D010936:Plant Extracts; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; C508961:Tgfb1 protein, mouse; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine