Endostatin attenuates PDGF-BB- or TGF-β1-induced HSCs activation via suppressing RhoA/ROCK1 signal pathways

Abstract

Aim

To testify the hypothesis that endostatin exerts antifibrotic effects in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by modulating RhoA (ras homolog gene family, member A)/ROCK 1 (Rho-associated protein kinase 1) signal pathways.

Materials and methods

HSCs-T6 of passages 3–5 were cultured in DMEM and serum starved for 48 hours. HSCs were grouped as follows: control group, TGF-β1 (transforming growth factor β1) group, endostatin+TGF-β1 group, PDGF-BB (platelet-derived growth factor-BB) group, and endostatin+PDGF-BB group. In the PDGF-BB group, HSCs were treated with PDGF-BB (200 ng/mL) for 72 hours; in the TGF-β1 group, they were treated with TGF-β1 (10 ng/mL) for 72 hours. In the Endostatin+TGF-β1 group or Endostatin+PDGF-BB group, HSCs were treated with TGF-β1 (10 ng/mL) or PDGF-BB (200 ng/mL) for 72 hours after pretreatment with endostatin (5 µg/mL) for 1 hour. In the control group, HSCs were only treated with serum-free DMEM for 72 hours. Collagen I was analyzed with ELISA. F-actin was detected with immunofluorescent staining. The mRNAs and proteins of α-smooth muscle actin, RhoA, and ROCK1 were analyzed by using real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively.

Results

TGF-β1 and PDGF-BB promote the proliferation of HSCs significantly at 48 and 72 hours. Endostatin inhibits the proliferation effect induced by TGF-β1 or PDGF-BB significantly (P<0.01). The expression of collagen I and F-actin was significantly upregulated in both TGF-β1 and PDGF-BB groups than in the control group (P<0.01). Both the collagen I and F-actin expression were downregulated significantly in the endostatin-treated groups (P<0.05). Endostatin significantly inhibited the upregulated expression of α-smooth muscle actin, RhoA, and ROCK1 induced by TGF-β1 or PDGF-BB (P<0.01).

Conclusion

These results suggested that endostatin inhibited TGF-β1- or PDGF-BB-induced fibrosis in HSCs by modulating RhoA/ROCK signal pathways.

Keywords:

• endostatin
• liver fibrogenesis
• hepatic stellate cell
• signal pathways
• fibrosis

View correction statement:

Endostatin attenuates PDGF-BB- or TGF-β1-induced HSCs activation via suppressing RhoA/ROCK1 signal pathways [Erratum]

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos LY15H150004 and LY17H160035, Foundation of Teaching Department of Zhejiang Province (No Y201330073), and Foundation of Health Department of Zhejiang Province (No 2013KYB132).

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.