OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of growth factors on c-fos and c-jun gene expressions in hepatic stellate cells.

METHODSHepatic stellate cell (HSC) T6 was cultured in media containing different concentrations of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) (8 ng/ml, 40 ng/ml or 200 ng/ml) and transforming growth factor (TGF) beta (0.2 ng/ml, 1 ng/ml or 5 ng/ml) and the cells were collected at different incubation periods (8, 24, 48 or 72 h). Total RNA of the HSC was isolated and c-fos and c-jun gene expression levels were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSC-fos gene expression levels of the HSC cultured in low (8 ng/ml), medium (40 ng/ml) and high (200 ng/ml) concentrations of PDGF were all much higher than those of the control group after exposure to PDGF at 8, 24, 48 or 72 h. The c-fos gene expression levels of the HSC increased as the dosage of PDGF increased and there were significant differences of c-fos gene expression among the three PDGF groups. C-jun gene expression levels of the HSC in low (0.2 ng/ml), medium (1.0 ng/ml) and high (5.0 ng/ml) concentrations of TGF beta groups were much higher than those of the control group after exposure to TGF beta at 8, 24, 48 or 72 h. The c-jun gene expression levels of the HSC increased as the dosage of TGF beta increased and there were significant differences of c-jun gene expression among the three TGF beta groups.

CONCLUSIONPDGF and TGF beta can strongly up-regulate c-fos and c-jun gene expressions in hepatic stellate T6 cells.