太白楤木总皂苷对肝纤维化大鼠Smads4基因表达的影响

Effects of Aralia chinesis L Saponis on expression of Smads4 gene in rats with hepatic fibrosis

目的:观察太白楤木总皂苷对肝纤维化大鼠Smads4基因表达的影响。方法:CCl4诱导大鼠肝纤维化,以太白楤木总皂苷水溶液干预性治疗,Masson染色观察肝组织胶原沉积,ELISA法检测大鼠血清TGFβ1水平,原位杂交(in situ hybridization,ISH)和免疫组化(immunohistochemistry,IH)检测大鼠肝组织Smads4表达情况。结果:太白楤木总皂苷干预性治疗使肝纤维化大鼠血清TGFβ1水平明显下降[(51.2±18.6)vs(86.9±22.8)mg/L,P<0.05],肝脏胶原占肝组织面积比例减少;治疗组大鼠肝脏Smads4蛋白表达阳性率降低为(0.024±0.007)[模型组(0.135±0.086),P<0.01],Smads4 mRNA阳性率降低为(0.229±0.019)[模型组(0.723±0.090),P<0.01]。结论:太白楤木总皂苷可显著降低肝纤维化大鼠血清TGFβ1水平,减少肝胶原沉积,抑制肝脏Smads4表达,从而减弱了由TGFβ1介导的肝纤维化信号,可能是其发挥抗肝纤维化作用的分子机制之一。

Objective：To observe the effects of Aralia chinesis L Saponis on the expression of Smads4 gene in rats with CCl4-induced hepatic fihrosis and to investigate its probable molecular mechanisms in interfering liver fibrosis. Methods： Hepatil fihreosis in rats was induced by subcutaneous injection of CCl4. The expressions of Smads mRNA were detected with in situ hybridiza- tion （ISH） . The level of Smads4 protein in the liver tissue was detected with immunohistochemistry （IH） and the deposition of collagen in the liver was observed with HE and Masson staining. Results ： The content of collagen obviously increased in the liver of model group and the expression of Smad4 mRNA in fibrotic liver was significantly enhanced. The positive ratio of Smad4 pro- tein significantly increased. All these increases were significantly decreased with Aralia chinesis L Saponis treatmcnt. Conclusion： Aralia chinesis L is effective in protecting rat liver against CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis perhaps by inter fering the gene expression of Smads, which was essential in the fibrogenisis process of liver.