Danshensu inhibits acetaldehyde-induced proliferation and activation of hepatic stellate cell-T6.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of danshensu, the main component of the extract of Chinese medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza, on the proliferation and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs).

Methods: The activation of HSC-T6 was induced by exposure to acetaldehyde. In the meantime, different doses of danshensu were added to the culture medium. After 24 h of treatment with danshensu in acetaldehyde, the viability of HSC-T6 cells was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, the cell cycle was determined through flow cytometry, and the gene transcription levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) were analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results: The proliferation of HSCs induced by 200 μmol/L acetaldehyde could be significantly inhibited by danshensu, and the percentage of HSCs in S phase was significantly increased as compared with the control cells (P<0.05), which were respectively evidenced by MTT assay and flow cytometry. Danshensu down-regulated the mRNA expression of TGF-β1 and PAI-1 and up-regulated the uPA transcription level (P<0.01), while the transcription level of MMP-2 was not significantly affected in HSC-T6.

Conclusion: Danshensu can inhibit the proliferation and activation of HSC-T6, as well as regulate some cytokines involved in extracellular matrix accumulation, which offers a potential therapeutic alternative for liver fibrosis.