title: Echinacoside stimulates cell proliferation and prevents cell apoptosis in intestinal epithelial MODE-K cells by up-regulation of transforming growth factor-β1 expression.
abstract: Cistanche deserticola MA (C. deserticola) has been widely used as a laxative herbal in herbal medicine for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome or constipation, and echinacoside (ECH) is one of the major bioactive ingredients in this herbal. Our aim was to investigate the effect of ECH on intestinal epithelial cell growth and death. MODE-K, an intestinal epithelial cell line, was used as an in vitro model of the intestine. Cell proliferation was measured by methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Cell apoptosis was determined with Annexin-V staining. Here we showed that in cultured MODE-K cells, ECH significantly stimulated cell proliferation and enhanced cell survival by reducing cell apoptosis in the presence of H(2)O(2) or the mixture of pro-inflammatory cytokines, while transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 expression was up-regulated in a dose-dependent manner. Knockdown of TGF-β1 expression disrupted both the proliferative and cytoprotective activities of ECH, which was further confirmed by neutralization of TGF-β1 activity using anti-TGF-β1 antibody. These data suggest that ECH as one of bioactive ingredients in herbal C. deserticola and others may improve mucosal tissue repair by stimulating intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and preventing cell death via up-regulation of TGF-β.
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, China.
authors.forename: Yamin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Qiunong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Yuhai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Caigan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D031671:Cistanche; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006027:Glycosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006027:Glycosides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C060297:echinacoside