BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Feb 2018)

Herbal compound 861 prevents hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad/SnoN pathway in bile duct-ligated rats

  • Cheng Chi,
  • Xiao-ya Liu,
  • Fei Hou,
  • Xiao-zheng Yu,
  • Chun-yun Li,
  • Li-jian Cui,
  • Rui-xia Liu,
  • Cheng-hong Yin

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-018-2119-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract Background This study was to evaluate the effects of herbal compound 861 (Cpd861) on ski-related novel protein N (SnoN) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) /Smad signaling in rats with bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced hepatic fibrosis, and to explore the mechanisms of Cpd861 on hepatic fibrosis. Methods Thirty Wistar male rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham operation, BDL, and Cpd861. To induce hepatic fibrosis, BDL and Cpd861 group rats underwent bile duct ligation. Cpd861 at 9 g/kg/d or an equal volume of normal saline was administered intragastrically for 28 days. Liver injury was assessed biochemically and histologically. Protein and mRNA changes for SnoN and TGF-β1/Smad signaling (TGF-β1, Smad2, phosphorylated Smad2 [p-Smad2], phosphorylated Smad3 [p-Smad3], fibronectin, and collagen III) were determined by Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR. Results BDL rats treated with Cpd861 had significantly alleviated hepatic fibrosis compared to BDL rats not receiving Cpd861 treatment. Moreover, Cpd861 decreased the expression of fibrosis-associated proteins fibronectin and collagen III in liver tissue. Cpd861 administration increased the expression of SnoN protein, did not change SnoN mRNA level, and decreased TGF-β1, p-Smad2, and p-Smad3 protein expression compared to BDL without Cpd861 treatment. Conclusions Cpd861 attenuates hepatic fibrosis by increasing SnoN protein expression and inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

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