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Tetrandrine induces apoptosis in hepatic stellate cells
Author(s) -
Zhao YuZhe,
Kim JiYoung,
Park EunJeon,
Lee Sung Hee,
Woo SunWook,
Ko Geonil,
Sohn Dong Hwan
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.1435
Subject(s) - hepatic stellate cell , tetrandrine , apoptosis , hepatic fibrosis , dna fragmentation , fibrosis , poly adp ribose polymerase , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer research , medicine , programmed cell death , pathology , pharmacology , biochemistry , dna , endocrinology , polymerase
We have previously reported that tetrandrine reduced hepatic stellate cell activation and collagen accumulation in liver brosis induced by biliary obstruction. In the present study, we examined the apoptosis‐inducing effect of tetrandrine on activated hepatic stellate cells, as the therapeutic goal in hepatic brosis is to eliminate the activated hepatic stellate cells by apoptosis. We used rat hepatic stellate cells transformed by Simian virus 40 (T‐HSC/Cl‐6) to overcome the limitations inherent in studying primary cultures of hepatic stellate cells. Tetrandrine treatment at doses of 25 and 50 µg/ml for 12 h induced apoptosis as conrmed by DNA fragmentation and increased sub‐G1 DNA content as detected by ow cytometric analysis. Tetrandrine also induced the activation of caspase‐3 protease and subsequent proteolytic cleavage of poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that tetrandrine induces apoptosis of T‐HSC/Cl‐6 cells, and these results should contribute to the development of new agents for the treatment of hepatic brosis. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.