title: Effects of β-sitosterol derived from Artemisia capillaris on the activated human hepatic stellate cells and dimethylnitrosamine-induced mouse liver fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  β-sitosterol is a cholesterol-like phytosterol, which widely distributed in the plant kingdom. Here, anti-fibrotic effect of the β-sitosterol was studied using the activated human hepatic stellate cell (HSC) model and dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced mouse hepatic fibrosis model.
  
  
  METHODS
  HSCs were activated by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and the collagen-1 and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expressions were measured at the mRNA and protein level. We also studied the effect β-sitosterol using DMN-induced mouse hepatic fibrosis model. We then measured the collagen-1 and α-SMA expression levels in vivo to investigate anti-hepatofibrotic effect of β-sitosterol, at both of the mRNA and protein level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  β-sitosterol down regulated the mRNA and protein expression levels of collagen-1 and α-SMA in activated HSC. Oral administration of the β-sitosterol successfully alleviated the DMN-induced mouse liver damage and prevented collagen accumulation. The mRNA and protein expression levels of collagen-1 and α-SMA were also down regulated in β-sitosterol treated mouse group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows the effect of β-sitosterol on the TGF-β -or DMN-induced hepatofibrosis. Hence, we demonstrate the β-sitosterol as a potential therapeutic agent for the hepatofibrosis.
authors.forename: Ki-Suk
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hea Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jae-Youl
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yun-Cheol
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Soo-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Young-Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Korean Medicine, Institute of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Heogi-dong, Dondaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea. komclive@khmc.or.kr.
authors.forename: Jang-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyeung-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D019306:Artemisia / Q000737:chemistry*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine / Q000009:adverse effects; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012855:Sitosterols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D024042:Collagen Type I; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012855:Sitosterols; C025473:gamma-sitosterol; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine