title: Anti-fibrotic effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Ligustrazine Injection on LX-2 cells involved with increased N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 expression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Ligustrazine Injection (SML) on proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatic stellate cell LX-2 and the expression of N-myc downstreamregulated gene 2 (NDRG2, a tumor suppressor gene).
  
  
  METHODS
  HSCs from the LX-2 cell line were cultured in vitro. The proliferative state of different initial LX-2 cell numbers was measured using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay. LX-2 cells were plated in 96-well plates at an approximate density of 2.50×104cells/mL and cultured for 24 h followed by the application of different concentrations of SML (1, 2, 4 and 8 μL/mL). Cell proliferation was measured using the MTT assay at 24 and 48 h. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry at 24 h. LX-2 cells were treated with different concentrations of SML and extracted with protein lysis buffer. The levels of NDRG2 and β-catenin were measured by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the exception of the 1 and 2 μL/mL concentrations, 4 and 8 μL/mL SML inhibited cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner at 24 and 48 h (P<0.05). With the exception of the 1 and 2 μL/mL concentrations, the NDRG2 expression level was greatly increased in a concentration-dependent manner. However, the level of β-catenin was unaffected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SML inhibit LX-2 cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner, and the mechanism may be associated with NDRG2 over-expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.|Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine of Oncology, Tangdu Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine of Oncology, Tangdu Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
authors.forename: Li-Tian
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine of Oncology, Tangdu Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
authors.forename: Qin-You
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050082, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and K.K. Leung Brain Research Center, Faculty of Basic Medicine, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine of Oncology, Tangdu Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China. ymh9651@sina.com.
authors.forename: Ming-Hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005355:Fibrosis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C466228:NDRG2 protein, human; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011719:Pyrazines; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; C017953:tetramethylpyrazine
keywords: N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2; Salvia miltiorrhiza and Ligustrazine Injection; apoptosis; hepatic stellate cell; proliferation