title: Effects of Panax notoginseng flower extract on the TGF-β/Smad signal             transduction pathway in heart remodeling of human chymase transgenic mice.
abstract: Panax notoginseng is a common Chinese herb extensively used in Chinese medical practice for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of Panax notoginseng flower extract (PNFE) on the TGF-β/Smad signal transduction pathway in heart remodeling of human chymase transgenic mice. After treatment with PNFE and soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI), the left ventricular mass indexes (LVMIs) of transgenic and normal C57 BL/6 mice were analyzed. The mRNA expression of chymase, TGF-β1, Smad2, Smad3 and Smad7 in myocardium was assessed with RT-PCR, while the protein expression in myocardium was detected by western blotting. The results showed that PNFE and SBTI treatment led to a significant reduction in LVMIs in transgenic mice, indicating a beneficial effect on left ventricular remodeling. Mechanistically, PNFE and SBTI treatment attenuated the mRNA expression of chymase, TGF-β1, Smad2 and Smad3, as well as the protein expression in the myocardium tissues of the transgenic mouse model. By contrast, PNFE and SBTI treatment markedly up-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of Smad7. It was concluded that PNFE was able to improve the ventricular hypertrophy state in human chymase transgenic mice through regulation of the expression of mRNA and protein of TGF-β/Smad in ventricular tissues.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Youhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peigang
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Duan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhi-Xiu
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053818:Chymases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051906:Smad7 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014361:Trypsin Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C519374:Panax notoginseng extract; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D051900:Smad3 Protein; D051906:Smad7 Protein; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014361:Trypsin Inhibitors; D053818:Chymases