title: Fuzheng Huayu inhibits carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in mice through activating hepatic NK cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fuzheng Huayu (FZHY) is a Chinese compound herbal preparation which consists of six Chinese herbs. This study examines the preventative effects of FZHY on liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) and explores its possible mechanisms of action.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver fibrosis was induced in male C57BL/6N mice by injecting a 10% CCl(4) solution intraperitoneal twice a week for six weeks. After 6 weeks of treatment, serum ALT and AST assay, liver tissue histological examination and immunostaining were carried out to examine the liver function and fibrosis degree. The expression levels of alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA) were measured by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. Hepatic natural killer (NK) cells were isolated from liver and evaluated by FACS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Upon pathological examination, the FZHY-treated mice showed significantly reduced liver damage. The expression of α-SMA increased markedly upon treatment with CCl(4) and the increase was reversed by FZHY treatment. FZHY treatment also enhanced the activation of hepatic NK cells and the production of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). The protective effects of FZHY were reversed in the mice that were depleted of NK cells by anti-ASGM-1 Ab treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FZHY can efficiently inhibit CCl(4)-induced liver fibrosis. Furthermore, the depletion of NK cells attenuates the protective effects of FZHY. We conclude that FZHY could be an effective drug for liver fibrosis, and its mechanism of action involves the activation of hepatic NK cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mingquan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jianming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Xinyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qingxia
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Guangfeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D001323:Autoantibodies; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside; D007371:Interferon-gamma; C532829:fuzheng huayu; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat; C018835:asialo GM1 ganglioside