title: Effect of puerarin on matrix metalloproteinase-2 in human fetal scleral fibroblasts treated with low frequency electromagnetic fields.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of puerarin on matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) gene and protein expression in human fetal scleral fibroblasts (HFSFs) exposed to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cultured HFSFs were exposed to 0.2 mT ELF-EMF for 24 h. The experimental groups were divided into subgroups treated with 0, 0.1, 1 and 10 microM puerarin respectively. The expression of MMP-2 mRNA and protein were detected with real-time polymerase chain reaction and western-blot analysis respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MMP-2 mRNA and protein expression increased by 0.793 and 1.130 folds respectively under the exposure of ELF-EMFs at 0.2 mT flux density for 24 h. Puerarin at the concentration of 0.1 microM reversed this effect by 8.53% in mRNA and by 17.97% in protein expression (P < 0.05). The effect was more prominent at higher concentrations (1 and 10 microM, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to ELF-EMFs increased the expression of MMP-2 mRNA and protein in HFSF cells. Puerarin reversed the action to some extent in a specific concentration range. Our results implied that the puerarin might protect scleral tissue from increased expression induced by exposure to ELF-EMFs.
authors.forename: Huang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Xianqun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007529:Isoflavones; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; C033607:puerarin