ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Sophoral flavones on proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFb) induced by high glucose and its underlying mechanism. Cardiac fibroblasts were exposed to different concentration of D-glucose (15, 25 and 35 mmol·L-1) at different time point (24, 48 and 72 h) in order to determine cell proliferation, and the model group was established by culturing CFb with 25 mmol·L-1D-glucose for 48 h. Sophoral flavones (12.5, 25 and 50 mg·L-1) were employed for intervention. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay, and the levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ were measured by ELISA. In addition, flow cytometry was employed to detect the cell cycle; while the protein expression of prohibitin (PHB) was observed via immunocytochemistry and Western blot. This animal experiment had been approved by Jilin Medical University Experiment Animal Ethics Review Committee. The results showed that 25 mmol·L-1 glucose could promote the proliferation of CFb; and the contents of TGF-β1, MMP-2, collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ in the model group were higher than that of control (P<0.05). The number of cells in S and G2 phase increased under high glucose condition. In the model group, PHB translocation occurred at 6 h and protein expression decreased at 48 h (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, 12.5-50 mg·L-1 Sophoral flavones reduced the contents of TGF-β1, MMP-2, collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ, increased the number of G1 phase cells, and increased the expression of PHB protein at 48 h (P<0.05), with no effect on the nuclear translocation of PHB. These results indicated that Sophoral flavones could prevent the proliferation of CFb induced by high glucose, the mechanism of which may be related to increasing the expression of PHB protein.