The anti-liver fibrosis effect of Kangxian Ruangan prescription: A cell study based on hepatic sinusoidal capillarization / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo investigate the anti-liver fibrosis effect and mechanism of action of Kangxian Ruangan prescription based on hepatic sinusoidal capillarization. MethodsA total of 16 male Wistar rats were divided into Kangxian Ruangan prescription group and control group, with 8 rats in each group. The rats in the Kangxian Ruangan prescription group were given crude drug 40 g/kg body weight by gavage, and those in the control group were given normal saline by gavage. Serum containing Kangxian Ruangan prescription was prepared, and then primary liver sinusoidal endothelial cells were treated with the serum containing Kangxian Ruangan prescription or the control serum. Western blot was used to measure the protein expression of the vascular endothelial markers cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) and von Willebrand factor (vWF), and immunocytochemistry was used to measure the expression of CD31 and vWF in cells. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the change in the fenestrae of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells. The t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups. ResultsKangxian Ruangan prescription had no marked influence on the morphology of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells. The liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in the control group had a small number of narrow fenestrae with an occluded structure, while those in the Kangxian Ruangan prescription group had an increased number of large fenestrae with a clear structure. The results of immunocytochemistry showed that compared with the control group, the Kangxian Ruangan prescription group had significant reductions in the expression of CD31 (0.069±0015 vs 0.115±0.011, t=4.257, P＜0.05) and vWF (0.092±0.009 vs 0.132±0.014, t=4.274, P＜0.05). The results of Western blot showed that compared with the control group, the Kangxian Ruangan prescription group had significant reductions in the protein expression of CD31 (0.334±0.029 vs 0.448±0.013, t=6.245, P＜0.01) and vWF (0.560±0.047 vs 0709±0.045, t=3.966, P＜0.05). ConclusionKangxian Ruangan prescription can significantly resist hepatic sinusoid capillarization and thus prevent the progression of liver fibrosis.