title: Effects of rhDecorin on TGF-beta1 induced human hepatic stellate cells LX-2 activation.
abstract: Decorin is a small leucine-rich extracellular matrix proteoglycan composed of a core protein with a single glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain near the N-terminus and N-glycosylated at three potential sites. Decorin is involved in the regulation of formation and organization of collagen fibrils, modulation of the activity of growth factors such as transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), and exerts other effects on cell proliferation and behavior. Increasing evidences show that decorin plays an important role in fibrogenesis by regulating TGF-beta, a key stimulator of fibrosis, and by directly modulating the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) from activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). In this study, the core protein of human decorin was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified recombinant human decorin (rhDecorin) significantly inhibited the proliferation of LX-2 cells, a human HSC cell line, stimulated by TGF-beta1. RT-PCR result showed that the expression of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) were reduced by rhDecorin in LX-2 cells stimulated by TGF-beta1. Furthermore, the protein expression of smooth muscle-alpha-actin (alpha-SMA), collagen type III and phosphorylated Smad2 (p-Smad2) was significantly decreased in the presence of rhDecorin. rhDecorin also reduced fibrillogenesis of collagen type I in a dose-dependent manner. Gene expression profiles of LX-2 cells stimulated by TGF-beta1 in the presence and the absence of rhDecorin were obtained by using cDNA microarray technique and differentially expressed genes were identified to provide further insight into the molecular action mechanism of decorin on LX-2 cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
authors.forename: Yue-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Pik-Yuen
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Chi-Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Yaou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chi-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tzang
authors.forename: Bernard P L
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Wang-Fun
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Hsiang-fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.forename: Mengsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D058575:Decorin; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D024061:Collagen Type III; C546878:DCN protein, human; D058575:Decorin; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C497782:SMAD2 protein, human; D051899:Smad2 Protein; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2