title: Magnolol Attenuates Concanavalin A-induced Hepatic Fibrosis, Inhibits CD4+T Helper 17 (Th17) Cell Differentiation and Suppresses Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation: Blockade of Smad3/Smad4 Signalling.
abstract: Magnolol is a pharmacological biphenolic compound extracted from Chinese herb Magnolia officinalis, which displays anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This study was aimed at exploring the potential effect of magnolol on immune-related liver fibrosis. Herein, BALB/c mice were injected with concanavalin A (ConA, 8 mg/kg/week) up to 6 weeks to establish hepatic fibrosis, and magnolol (10, 20, 30 mg/kg/day) was given to these mice orally throughout the whole experiment. We found that magnolol preserved liver function and attenuated liver fibrotic injury in vivo. In response to ConA stimulation, the CD4+T cells preferred to polarizing towards CD4+T helper 17 (Th17) cells in liver. Magnolol was observed to inhibit Th17 cell differentiation in ConA-treated liver in addition to suppressing interleukin (IL)-17A generation. Hepatic stellate cells were activated in fibrotic liver as demonstrated by increased alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and desmin. More transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and activin A were secreted into the serum. Magnolol suppressed this abnormal HSC activation. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of Smad3 in its linker area (Thr179, Ser 204/208/213) was inhibited by magnolol. In vitro, the recombinant IL-17A plus TGF-β1 or activin A induced activation of human LX2 HSCs and promoted their collagen production. Smad3/Smad4 signalling pathway was activated in LX2 cells exposed to the fibrotic stimuli, as illustrated by the up-regulated phospho-Smad3 and the enhanced interaction between Smad3 and Smad4. These alterations were suppressed by magnolol. Collectively, our study reveals a novel antifibrotic effect of magnolol on Th17 cell-mediated fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Hongjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Baoling
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Academic Affairs, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Yanfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Yuanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mudanjiang First People's Hospital, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Qiuxia
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017705:Lignans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D051901:Smad4 Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D017705:Lignans; D051900:Smad3 Protein; D051901:Smad4 Protein; C005498:magnolol; D003208:Concanavalin A