title: Panax notoginseng saponins ameliorates experimental hepatic fibrosis and hepatic stellate cell proliferation by inhibiting the Jak2/ Stat3 pathways.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the inhibitory effect of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on liver fibrosis and explore the underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated rats and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were used. The effect of PNS on CCl4-induced liver fibrosis was studied with histochemical and biochemical analysis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and collagen I mRNA expression were determined by reverse transcripwhile, the protein expression levels of α-SMA, collagen I, phosphorylation-Janus activated kinase signal transducer (p-Jak2)/Jak2, and phosphorylation-activator of transcription (p-Stat)3/Stat3 were determined by immunohistochemistry and/or immunoblotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PNS treatment significantly improved the liver function of rats as indicated by decreased serum enzymatic activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. Histopathological results indicated that PNS alleviated liver damage and reduced the formation of fibrous septa. Moreover, PNS significantly decreased liver hydroxyproline and significantly attenuated expressions of collagen I, α-SMA, TGF-β1, p-Jak2 / Jak2, and p-Stat3/Stat3 in the rat liver fibrosis model and HSCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PNS can relieve liver fibrosis by modulating Jak2/Stat3 signaling transduction pathway, which may be one of its mechanisms to suppress hepatic fibrosis.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Jiarong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yongzhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jiafu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yanquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Liangbing
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.lastname: Liu Xiaochuang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D053614:Janus Kinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D053723:Panax notoginseng / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012503:Saponins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D012503:Saponins; C494088:Stat3 protein, rat; C507927:Jak2 protein, rat; D053614:Janus Kinase 2