OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GL-PS) on human fibroblasts and skin wound healing in Kunming male mice and to explore the putative molecular mechanism. METHODS: Primary human skin fibroblasts were cultured. The viability of fibroblasts treated with 0, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 μg/mL of GL-PS, respectively were detected by 3-4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl-2,5-diphenyl-2-Htetrazolium bromide (MTT). The migration ability of fibroblasts treated with 0, 10, 20, and 40 μg/mL of GL-PS were measured by transwell assay. The secretion of the C-terminal peptide of procollagen type I (CICP) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in the cell supernatant was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of β-catenin was detected by Western blot. Furthermore, the Kunming mouse model with full-layer skin resection trauma was established, and was treated with 10, 20, and 40 mg/mL of GL-PS, respectively as external use. The size of the wound was measured daily, complete healing time in each group was recorded and the percentage of wound contraction was calculated. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, 10, 20, and 40 μg/mL of GL-PS significantly increased the viability of fibroblasts, promoted the migration ability of fibroblasts, and up-regulated the expressions of CICP and TGF-β1 in fibroblasts (Plt;0.05 or Plt;0.01). The expression of β-catenin in fibroblasts treated with 20 and 40 μg/mL of GL-PS was significantly higher than that of the control group (Plt;0.01). Furthermore, after external use of 10, 20, and 40 mg/mL of GL-PS, the rates of wound healing in mice were significantly higher and the wound healing time was significantly less than the control group (Plt;0.05 or Plt;0.01). CONCLUSION A certain concentration of GL-PS may promote wound healing via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and up-regulation of TGF-β1, which might serve as a promising source of skin wound healing.
Animals ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Polysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Reishi ; chemistry ; Skin ; drug effects ; injuries ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; physiology ; Wound Healing ; drug effects ; beta Catenin ; physiology

The present study was designed to elucidate whether the mechanism by which osthole decreases collagenI/III contents and their ratio is regulating the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in TGF-β1-overexpressed mouse cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). These CFs were cultured and treated with different concentrations of osthole. Our results showed that the TGF-β1 expression in the CFs transfected with that the recombinant expression plasmids pcDNA3.1(+)-TGF-β1 was significantly enhanced. After the CFs were treated with 1.25-5 μg·mL of osthole for 24 h, the mRNA and protein expression levels of collagensIand III were reduced. The collagen I/III ratio was also reduced. The mRNA and protein expression levels of TGF-β1, TβRI, Smad2/3, P-Smad2/3, Smad4, and α-SMA were decreased, whereas the expression level of Smad7 was increased. These effects suggested that osthole could inhibit collagen I and III expression and reduce their ratio via the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in TGF-β1 overexpressed CFs. These effects of osthole may play beneficial roles in the prevention and treatment of myocardial fibrosis.
Actins ; genetics ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Coumarins ; pharmacology ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Mice ; Myocardium ; cytology ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta ; genetics ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Smad Proteins ; genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics

OBJECTIVEThis study will explore whether reactive oxygen species (ROS) is involved in TGF-β1-induced JNK activation, pulmonary fibroblast proliferation and collagen type I and III synthesis.

METHODSPulmonary fibroblasts were randomly divided into control (0.4% serum) and TGF-β1 (5 µg/L) groups to detect whether TGF-β1 could induce pulmonary fibroblast proliferation, synthesis of collagen I and III, phosphorylated-JNK (p-JNK) and 8-OHdG (indicator of ROS); while in the part to explore whether NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine, antioxidants) has the inhibitory role in TGF-β1-induced pulmonary fibroblast, it did control (0.4% serum), H2O2 (0.1 mmol/L, positive control), H2O2+NAC (10 mmol/L), TGF-β1 (5 µg/L), TGF-β1+NAC groups. Pulmonary fibroblast proliferation, 8-OHdG levels, expressions of JNK and collagen I and III were used by MTT assay, immunofluorescence and western blot respectively.

RESULTSIn the experiments to detect the effect of TGF-β1 on pulmonary fibroblasts, compared with control, TGF-β1 significantly stimulated pulmonary fibroblast proliferation and increased collagen I and III protein, p-JNK and 8-OHdG levels. In the next experiments to explore whether NAC has the inhibitory role in TGF-β1-induced pulmonary fibroblasts, compared with control, pulmonary fibroblast proliferation and the levels of collagen I and II, p-JNK, 8-OHdG were all significantly increased in H2O2 and TGF-β1 groups; while these changes were markedly blocked with the treatment of NAC.

CONCLUSIONTGF-β1 induces pulmonary fibroblasts to generate ROS, which contributes to JNK activation and pulmonary fibroblast proliferation as well as collagen synthesis, while ROS inhibition suppresses this effet of TGF-β1 in pulmonary fibroblasts.

Acetylcysteine ; Cell Proliferation ; Collagen ; biosynthesis ; Collagen Type I ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Lung ; cytology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Phosphorylation ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) exerts apoptotic effects on various types of malignant cells, including liver cancer cells. However, the precise mechanisms by which TGF-β induces apoptosis remain poorly known. In the present study, we have showed that threonine 32 (Thr32) residue of FoxO3 is critical for TGF-β to induce apoptosis via Bim in hepatocarcinoma Hep3B cells. Our data demonstrated that TGF-β induced FoxO3 activation through specific de-phosphorylation at Thr32. TGF-β-activated FoxO3 cooperated with Smad2/3 to mediate Bim up-regulation and apoptosis. FoxO3 (de)phosphorylation at Thr32 was regulated by casein kinase I-ε (CKI-ε). CKI inhibition by small molecule D4476 could abrogate TGF-β-induced FoxO/Smad activation, reverse Bim up-regulation, and block the sequential apoptosis. More importantly, the deregulated levels of CKI-ε and p32FoxO3 were found in human malignant liver tissues. Taken together, our findings suggest that there might be a CKI-FoxO/Smad-Bim engine in which Thr32 of FoxO3 is pivotal for TGF-β-induced apoptosis, making it a potential therapeutic target for liver cancer treatment.
Apoptosis ; genetics ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Bcl-2-Like Protein 11 ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Forkhead Box Protein O3 ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Membrane Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Threonine ; genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; genetics

The deubiquitinating enzyme ubiquitin specific peptidase 15 (USP15) is regarded as a regulator of TGFβ signaling pathway. This process depends on Smad7, the inhibitory factor of the TGFβ signal, and type I TGFβ receptor (TβR-I), one of the receptors of TGFβ. The expression level of USP15 seems to play vital roles in the pathogenesis of many neoplasms, but so far there has been no report about USP15 in psoriasis. In this study, immunohistochemical staining of USP15, TβR-I and Smad7 was performed in 30 paraffin-embedded psoriasis specimens and 10 normal specimens to investigate the expression of USP15, TβR-I and Smad7 in psoriasis and to explore the relevance among them. And USP15 small interfering RNA (USP15 siRNA) was used to transfect Hacat cells to detect the mRNA expression of TβR-I and Smad7. Of 30 cases of psoriasis in active stage, 28, 24 and 26 cases were positive for USP15, TβR-I and Smad7 staining, respectively. The positive rates of USP15 and Smad7 were significantly higher in psoriasis specimens than in normal skin specimens (44.1%±26.0% vs. 6.1%±6.6%, 47.2%±27.1% vs. 6.6%±7.1%), and positive rate of TβR-I (20.3%±22.2%) in psoriasis was lower than that in normal skin specimens (46.7%±18.2%). There was a significant positive correlation between USP15 and Smad7 expression, and significant negative correlations between USP15 and TβR-expression, an I d between TβR- and Smad7 expression I in psoriasis. After transfection of USP15 siRNA in Hacat cells, the expression of TβR-mRNA was up I -regulated and that of Smad7 was down-regulated. It is concluded that USP15 may play a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis through regulating the TβR-I/Smad7 pathway and there may be other cell signaling pathways interacting with USP15 to take part in the development of psoriasis.
Adult ; Cell Line ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratinocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Psoriasis ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA Interference ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction ; genetics ; Skin ; metabolism ; Smad7 Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the expression of Smad4, the core of TGF-beta/Smads signal transduction pathway in different prostate cancer cell lines, and explore their molecular mechanism of bone metastatic potential.

METHODSThe Millicell polycarbonate filter coated with matrigel was used to confirm the invasive potency of LNCaP and ARCaP cell lines (IF11 and IA8). The expressions of the Smad4 protein and mRNA in these prostate cancer cells with different metastatic potentials were detected by Western blotting and RT-PCR, respectively.

RESULTSARCaP cell lines (IF11 and IA8) exhibited a stronger potency of invasion than LNCaP (P < 0.01). The Smad4 protein and mRNA highly expressed in the LNCaP cell line that was well-known with a low metastatic potential, but not in the ARCaP (IF11 or IA8) cells with high metastatic potentials (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSmad4 expresses differently in LNCaP and ARCaP cell lines with different metastatic potentials and, as a tumor suppressive gene, its deficient expression may play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of advanced prostate cancer.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Smad4 Protein ; biosynthesis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Antibodies ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 ; immunology ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; blood ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; immunology ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Thioacetamide ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect and mechanism of Erigeron Injection (EI) on renal interstitial fibrosis in rats.

METHODSUnilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model rats were taken as the subject of study. Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the control group (A), the UUO model group (B) and the treatment group (C) treated with intraperitoneal injection of EI 5 mL/kg per day from 24 h before to 9 days after the operation. On the 10th day of UUO, rats were killed and their kidneys were processed to paraffin sections with HE, PAS and picro-sirius-red staining. The pathological change of renal tubular interstitial tissue and relative cortical/interstitial volume (C/I) as well as the relative content of collagen (RC) were observed by light microscope. The expression of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and collagen I in the renal mesenchyma were examined by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSMarked renal interstitial fibrosis changes were found in Group B and C, but the changes were milder in Group C. C/I and RC were higher in Groups B and C as compared with those in Group A (P < 0.01), but they were much lower in Group C than in Group B (P < 0.01). The expression of TGF-beta1, alpha-SMA and collagen I were higher in Group B and C than those in Group A (P < 0.05), but they were lower in Group C than in Group B (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEI could ameliorate renal interstitial fibrosis in rats, which might be partially realized by down-regulating the expression of TGF-beta1 to prevent the renal epithelial cell differentiation and reducing the synthesis of collagen I.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Erigeron ; chemistry ; Fibrosis ; Immunohistochemistry ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Kidney Diseases ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; Ureteral Obstruction ; complications

OBJECTIVETo determine the effect of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) on the expression of invasion and metastasis associated proteins in the prostate cancer LNCaP cell line in vitro.

METHODSThe prostate cancer cell line LNCaP was treated with TGF-beta in vitro. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of the "invasion and metastasis" associated proteins E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin and Vimentin.

RESULTSThe expression of N-Cadherin and Vimentin of the LNCaP cells treated with TGF-beta for 12 hours was significantly upregulated, but not that of E-Cadherin.

CONCLUSIONTGF-beta may induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of LNCaP cells which might be of importance in promoting prostate cancer cells invading to ambient tissues and metastasizing to distant organs.

Blotting, Western ; Cadherins ; biosynthesis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; pharmacology ; Up-Regulation ; drug effects ; Vimentin ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVE: To explore the degradation mechanism of losartan on extracellular matrix in rats with diabetic nephropathy. METHODS: The rat model of diabetic nephropathy was established by streptozotozin(STZ) injection, and the rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: (a normal group, a model group and a losartan group). For 16 weeks, the serum creatinine and urea nitrogen were measured, and glomerular sclerosis index(GSI) were caculated. The expression of collagen Type IV,connective tissue growth factor and transforming growth factor-beta1 were examined by Western blot and real time-PCR respectively. RESULTS: Blood urea nitrogen, GSI and the expressions of collagen Type IV and CTGF protein in the losartan group were lower than those in the model group(all P<0.05), and the expressions of collagen Type IV mRNA,TGF-beta1 mRNA and CTGF mRNA were lower than those in the model group (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION Losartan modulates glomerular sclerosis and decreases the accumulation of collagen Type IV by inhibiting TGF-beta1 and CTGF.
Animals ; Collagen Type IV ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; pathology ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; metabolism ; pathology ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Losartan ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; genetics