title: Effect of bioactive peptide of Carapax Trionycis on TGF-β1-induced intracellular events in hepatic stellate cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In traditional Chinese medicines for hepatic fibrosis therapy, Carapax Trionycis is used usually as an indispensable component and has a long history of medical use in China. Previous studies have demonstrated that extracts of Carapax Trionycis were able to protect liver against fibrosis in CCl4 animal models.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to verify the inhibitory effect and the underlying mechanisms of Carapax Trionycis extract peptide (CTEP) on activated hepatic stellate cells which play a central role in liver fibrogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hepatic stellate cells induced by TGF-β1 were applied to evaluate the anti-fibrotic effect of CTEP in vitro. MTS assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting were then used to further investigate the molecular mechanisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that the contents of collagen I, collagen III and TIMP-1 were significantly inhibited and the level of collagen I, collagen III, p-Smad 3, TIMP-1 and α-SMA proteins decreased significantly in a concentration-dependence manner after treatment with CTEP. Interestingly, the level of Smad 3 protein was not different significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that CTEP efficiently inhibits cultured HSC-T6 cell activation and proliferation via the TGF-β1/Smad pathway as well as by the elimination of the extracellular matrix.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1 Huangjia River West Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430065, China.
authors.forename: Yingpin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Chunling
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yanwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D060105:Animal Shells; D000818:Animals; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D030162:Reptilian Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D014426:Turtles
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; D010455:Peptides; D030162:Reptilian Proteins; D051900:Smad3 Protein; C497787:Smad3 protein, rat; C576839:TIMP1 protein, rat; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C576840:MMP1 protein, rat; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1