title: Anti-fibrotic effect of trans-resveratrol on pancreatic stellate cells.
abstract: Trans-resveratrol, also known as 3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene, is a natural stilbenoid found at high concentration in skins of red grapes and berries. Over the recent years, it has been reported with a variety of beneficial effects such as antioxidant, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory bioactivities; thus often utilized as an active substance in human and veterinary therapeutics. In the current study, we aimed to delineate the mechanism of its anti-fibrotic action by means of various biochemical assays, such as immunofluorescent staining, real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting analyses in a cellular model, the LTC-14 cells, which retain essential characteristics and morphological features of primary pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). Our results demonstrated that the application of trans-resveratrol as low as 10 μM notably suppressed the mRNA and protein levels of different fibrotic mediators namely alpha-smooth muscle actin, type I collagen and fibronectin in the LTC-14 cells stimulated with transforming growth factor-beta, a well recognized pro-fibrotic inducer. Importantly, the mechanism of the anti-fibrotic action of trans-resveratrol was associated with a decrease in nuclear factor-kappaB activation and protein kinase B phosphorylation. In conclusion, our finding suggests that trans-resveratrol may serve as a therapeutic or an adjuvant agent in anti-fibrotic approaches and/or PSC-relating pathologies.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: tsang@hkbu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Siu Wai
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Hongjie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Fundamental Medical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zesi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Huaixue
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: bzxiang@hkbu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Zhao-Xiang
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Bian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D005355:Fibrosis; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D058954:Pancreatic Stellate Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D000077185:Resveratrol; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D013267:Stilbenes; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D000077185:Resveratrol
keywords: Anti-fibrotic agent; Pancreatic fibrosis; Pancreatic stellate cells; Resveratrol; Trans-resveratrol