title: EGCG inhibits CTGF expression via blocking NF-κB activation in cardiac fibroblast.
abstract: Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has been reported to play an important role in tissue fibrosis and presents a promising therapeutic target for fibrotic diseases. In heart, inappropriate increase in level of CTGF promotes fibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, thereby exacerbating cardiac hypertrophy and subsequent failure. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol found in green tea, possesses multiple protective effects on the cardiovascular system including cardiac fibrosis. However, the molecular mechanism by which EGCG exerts its anti-fibrotic effects has not been well investigated. In this study, we found that EGCG could significantly reduce collagen synthesis, fibronectin (FN) expression and cell proliferation in rat cardiac fibroblasts stimulated with angiotensinII (AngII). It also ameliorated cardiac fibrosis in rats submitted to abdominal aortic constriction (AAC). Moreover, EGCG attenuated the excessive expression of CTGF induced by AAC or AngII, and reduced the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 subunit and degradation of IκB-α. Subsequently, we demonstrated that in cardiac fibroblasts NF-κB inhibition could suppress AngII-induced CTGF expression. Taken together, these findings provide the first evidence that the effect of EGCG against cardiac fibrosis may be attributed to its inhibition on NF-κB activation and subsequent CTGF overexpression, suggesting the therapeutic potential of EGCG on the prevention of cardiac remodeling in patients with pressure overload hypertrophy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, PR China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Shan-Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ting-Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Si
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jian-Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Pei-Qing
authors.initials: PQ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013662:Tea; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D002392:Catechin; D003094:Collagen; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate