Effects Of Tetramethylpyrazine On Expression Of CTGF, NF-κB And Its Related Gene Products In TNF-α Stimulated Hepatic Stellate Cells

OBJECITVE:To study the effects of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and related gene product IL-6 in Tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) stimulated hepatic stellate cell-T6(HSC-T6); To investigate the mechanisms of anti hepatic fibrosis.METHODS:HSC-T6 was cultured with varying doses of TMP and 10ug / l of TNF-a in vitro. Immunocytochemistry was used to test the effect of TMP on expression of CTGF,NF-κB and NF-κB associated gene product IL-6 in HSC-T6 . Protein expression level of NF-κB was analyzed with Western blot.RESULTS:1.Immunohistochemical assay showed that: CTGF, NF-κB, IL-6 in the HSC-T6 were expressed.TMP inhibited of CTGF, NF-κB, IL-6 expression (P <0.05) in a concentration dependent.The inhibition drgree of which showed a positive correlation(r=0.980,P<0.01).2.Western blot shows that with TMP concentration, NF-κB protein expression followed by decline, compared with the control group, with significant differences (P <0.01).CONCLUSION:Inhibiting the expression of CTGF, NF-κB and IL-6, inhibiting proliferation of HSC-T6, might be involve in the anti-fibrosis mechanism of TMP.