熊果酸对肝星状细胞增殖与凋亡的影响

目的 体外观察熊果酸对肝星状细胞增殖与凋亡的影响,探讨熊果酸诱导肝星状细胞凋亡的可能作用机制. 方法 将不同浓度熊果酸作用于肝星状细胞HSC-T6及肝细胞L02,分别在药物作用24、48、72 h后用四甲基偶氮唑盐法检测熊果酸对HSC-T6及L02细胞增殖的影响;流式细胞仪检测熊果酸对HSC-T6凋亡的影响;光学显微镜观察熊果酸作用后细胞形态学变化情况;免疫细胞化学法检测HSC-T6中Bcl-2、Bax和Caspase-3蛋白的表达情况. 结果 各种浓度的熊果酸均可抑制HSC-T6细胞的增殖,且呈剂量-时间依赖性;当熊果酸浓度为25、50、75μmol/L时可促进L02细胞增殖,浓度＞75μmol/L则表现为抑制L02细胞增殖.在病理形态学方面,熊果酸作用HSC-T6细胞48 h后,光学显微镜下可见细胞缩小变圆、核浓缩等.25、50、75 μmol/L熊果酸作用HSC-T6细胞48 h后,流式细胞仪检测显示细胞凋亡率分别为10.30%±3.85%、21.87%±4.46%、31.33%±6.18%,比对照组(2.93%±1.60%)明显升高(P＜0.01).免疫细胞化学显示Bax及Caspase-3蛋白表达较对照组升高(P＜0.05),且呈剂量依赖性,而Bcl-2蛋白表达水平与对照组无明显差异(P＞0.05).结论 在体外熊果酸可较明显地抑制HSC-T6细胞增殖,诱导其凋亡;对L02细胞的生长具有双向调节作用.熊果酸诱导HSC-T6细胞凋亡可能与降低Bcl-2/Bax比值、激活Caspase-3蛋白有关.

Effect of ursolic acid on proliferation and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells in vitro

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of ursolic acid on proliferation and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in vitro and explore the mechanisms of apoptosis of HSC induced by ursolic acid by studying the expressions of apoptosis-regulating proteins Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase3 in HSC. METHODS: Hepatic stellate cells HSC-T6 and hepatocytes L02 were incubated with different concentrations of ursolic acid (25, 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 micromol/L) for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. The effect of ursolic acid on the cell proliferation was studied by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) colormetric assay. The rate of HSC-T6 apoptosis was identified by flow cytometry (FCM) and the morphological change of apoptosis was observed with light microscopy. The expressions of apoptosis-regulating protein Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase3 in HSC-T6 after apoptosis induced by ursolic acid were examined by immunocytochemical staining assay. RESULTS: MTT analysis indicated administration of 25-150 micromol/L ursolic acid incubated with HSC-T6 for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h significantly inhibited HSC-T6 proliferation in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner compared with the control group. Promotive effect of ursolic acid on proliferation of hepatocyte L02 was observed in the 25, 50, 75 micromol/L concentration groups. Ursolic acid inhibited L02 proliferation when its concentration was higher than 100 micromol/L and for 72 hours or longer. HE stained histological slides demonstrated morphologic changes of HSC-T6, including karyorrhexis and cytoplasm vacuolization, when they were treated with ursolic acid at 75 micromol/L concentrations for 48 h. FCM showed the apoptosis ratios of HSC-T6 were 10.30%+/-3.85%, 21.87%+/-4.46% and 31.33%+/-6.18% after treating HSC-T6 with ursolic acid at concentrations of 25, 50 and 75 micromol/L for 48 h. They were significantly higher than that of the control group 2.93%+/-1.60%. Immunocytochemistry also indicated the expressions of Bax and caspase3 protein in HSC-T6 cells were up-regulated in a dose-dependent manner, but expressions of Bcl-2 protein were not significantly different from that of the blank control group (P more than 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ursolic acid could significantly inhibit HSC proliferation and induce apoptosis in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. Ursolic acid in low concentration promotes proliferation of L02 cells, but in high concentrations (more than 100 micromol/L) it inhibits the growth of hepatocytes. Expressions of Bax and Caspase3 in apoptotic HSC were increased; expressions of Bcl-2 protein were not significantly different from that of the control group, while Bcl-2/Bax ratio was reduced. Our results suggest that HSC-T6 cell apoptosis induced by ursolic acid occurs through mechanisms involving mitochondrial pathways and Bcl-2 family proteins.