Effects of chloroquine on autophagy and collagen metabolism in activated hepatic stellate cells in vitro / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM:To explore the effects of chloroquine (CQ) on collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ expression in activated rat hepatic stellate cell line HSC-T6 and the possible mechanism.METHODS:Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) was used to activate HSC-T6 cells and 3 doses of CQ was administered for 24 h.The cells were divided into 5 groups as followscontrol group,TGF-β1 group,TGF-β1 + CQ (15 μmol/L) group,TGF-β1 + CQ (30 μ mol/L) group and TGF-β1 + CQ (60 μmol/L) group.Western blot was used to determine the expression of LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ,P62 and o-SMA in activated HSC-T6 cells.The expression of collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ was detected by immunocytochemical staining,Western blot and RT-qPCR.Western blot and RT-qPCR were also used to detect the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13),tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and TIMP-2 at mRNA and protein levels.RESULTS:The ratio of LC3-Ⅱ / LC3-Ⅰ and P62 expression were increased after CQ intervention.Moreover,they were significantly higher in the TGF-β1 + CQ groups than those in TGF-β1 group (P ＜ 0.01).The expression of collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ at mRNA and protein levels was significantly increased in all TGF-β1 + CQ groups as compared with TGF-β1 group (P ＜0.01),and it was markedly increased among TGF-β1 + CQ groups in a dose-dependent manner.The expression of MMP-13 at mRNA and protein levels was significantly lowered and that of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 was significantly increased in TGF-β1 + CQ groups as compared with TGF-β1 group (P ＜0.05).CONCLUSION:Inhibition of autophagy by CQ in activated HSC-T6 cells up-regulates the expression of collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ in a dose-dependent way,probably due to reduction of MMP-13 and enhancement of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expression.