Effects of dahuang zhechong pill on expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase in rats' hepatic stellate cells / 中国中西医结合杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of Dahuang Zhechong Pill (DZP) on the gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in rats' hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) that secreted into the culture base.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HSC were isolated from the liver of normal rats and incubated with DZP-contained drug serum. The expression of MMP-1 in the HSC was detected by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The activity of MMP-2 was examined by zymography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>DZP-contained drug serum could obviously promote the gene expression of MMP-1 in HSC. In the meantime, it could obviously increase the content and activity of MMP-2 synthesized by HSC (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The anti-fibrosis action of DZP was correlated to the promotion of HSC's gene expression of MMP-1 and increasing of the contents and activity of MMP-2.</p>