Effects and the mechanism of HGF on the apoptosis of rat primary cultured hepatic stellate cells treated with platelet-derived growth factor / 中华肝脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the inhibitory effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on the apoptosis of rat primary cultured hepatic stellate cells treated with platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Hepatic stellate cells were cultured and treated with PDGF-BB+HGF, HGF or nothing (controls). Apoptosis of these hepatic stellate cells was evaluated by AO/EB staining, TUNEL and flow cytometry. Expression level of P65 was observed with immunocytochemical staining; DNA-protein binding complex of NF-kappa B was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The cell apoptosis rate of the control group was lower than that of the PDGF-BB+HGF group. The apoptosis rate of the PDGF-BB+HGF group was lower than that of the HGF treated group; the expression of P65 was lower in the PDGF-BB+HGF group and HGF treated group compared to the normal control group; DNA-protein binding activity of NF-kappa B was respectively attenuated in the normal control group, PDGF-BB+HGF treated group and HGF treated group (P less than 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HGF can induce HSC apoptosis. Its possible mechanism may involve inhibiting DNA-protein binding activity of NF-kappa B and down-regulating the expression level of P65.</p>