Effect of drug serum of herbal compound on NO and ETª²1 in cultured hepatic stellate cells stimulated by carbon tetrachloride

    XIAO Yongª²Hong, LIU Dianª²Wu

    Department of Epidemiology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the effect of drug serum of herbal compound on nitric oxide(NO) and endothelin ª²1 (ETª²1)in cultured hepatic stellate cells (HSC) stimulated by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and to explore the mechanism of herbal compound against hepatic fibrosis and portal hypertension. METHODS: ETª²1 and iNOS mRNA in HSC treated by drug serum of herbal compound and CCl4 were determined with reverse transcriptaseª²polymerase chain reaction (RTª²PCR) and ETª²1 and iNOS expressions were measured by immunocytochemical method. RESULTS: ETª²1 mRNA and protein expressions in HSC stimulated by CCl4 markedly increased(7.09¡À1.71 vs 42.44¡À2.58), and were notably higher than those in control group (0.56¡À0.28 vs 12.25¡À1.56, P<0.05); the expressions were inhibited by drug serum and the inhibitory effect was strengthened when combined with TGFª²¦Â1 antibody. Meanwhile, iNOS mRNA and protein expressions slightly went up (0.96¡À0.16 vs 5.31¡À0.86) when compared with control group(0.63¡À0.19 vs 4.66¡À1.12), but the difference had no significance(P>0.05); the expressions in drug serum were higher than those in CCl4 group and control group and the expression of iNOS in CCl4+drug serum+TGFª²¦Â1 group was higher than that in other groups(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Herbal compound decreased ETª²1 level and increased NO secretion in HSC stimulated by CCl4 to restrain HSC contraction. ......