Basic Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2004. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 15, 2004; 10(18): 2706-2710
Published online Sep 15, 2004. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i18.2706
Effects of platelet-derived growth factor and interleukin-10 on Fas/Fas-ligand and Bcl-2/Bax mRNA expression in rat hepatic stellate cells in vitro
Xiao-Zhong Wang, Sheng-Jun Zhang, Yun-Xin Chen, Zhi-Xin Chen, Yue-Hong Huang, Li-Juan Zhang
Xiao-Zhong Wang, Sheng-Jun Zhang, Yun-Xin Chen, Zhi-Xin Chen, Yue-Hong Huang, Li-Juan Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001, Fujian Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the Science and Technology Fundation of Fujian Province, No. 2003D05
Correspondence to: Xiao-Zhong Wang, Department of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001, Fujian Province, China. drwangxz@pub6.fz.fj.cn
Telephone: +86-591-3357896 Ext. 8482
Received: March 5, 2004
Revised: March 9, 2004
Accepted: March 12, 2004
Published online: September 15, 2004
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effects of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) on Fas/Fas-ligand and Bcl-2/Bax mRNA expressions in rat hepatic stellate cells.

METHODS: Rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were isolated and purified from rat liver by in situ digestion of collagenase and pronase and single-step density Nycodenz gradient. After activated by culture in vitro, HSCs were divided into 4 groups and treated with nothing (group N), PDGF (group P), IL-10 (group I) and PDGF in combination with IL-10 (group C), respectively. Semi-quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was employed to compare the mRNA expression levels of Fas/FasL and Bcl-2/Bax in HSCs of each group.

RESULTS: The expression levels of Fas between the 4 groups had no significant differences (P > 0.05). FasL mRNA level in normal culture-activated HSCs (group N) was very low. It increased obviously after HSCs were treated with IL-10 (group I) (0.091 ± 0.007 vs 0.385 ± 0.051, P < 0.01), but remained the low level after treated with PDGF alone (group P) or PDGF in combination with IL-10 (group C). Contrast to the control group, after treated with PDGF and IL-10, either alone or in combination, Bcl-2 mRNA expression was down-regulated and Bax mRNA expression was up-regulated, both following the turn from group P, group I to group C. Expression of Bcl-2 mRNA in group C was significantly lower than that in group P (0.126 ± 0.008 vs 0.210 ± 0.024, P < 0.01). But no significant difference was found between group C and group I, as well as between group I and group P (P > 0.05). Similarly, the expression of Bax in group C was higher than that in group P (0.513 ± 0.016 vs 0.400 ± 0.022, P < 0.01). No significant difference was found between group I and group P (P > 0.05). But compared with group C, Bax expressions in group I tended to decrease (0.449 ± 0.028 vs 0.513 ± 0.016, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: PDGF may promote proliferation of HSCs but is neutral with respect to HSC apoptosis. IL-10 may promote the apoptosis of HSCs by up-regulating the expressions of FasL and Bax and down-regulating the expression of Bcl-2, which may be involved in its antifibrosis mechanism.

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