Rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) and
salidroside have been applied in the treatment of hepatic
fibrosis. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism of hepatic differentiation of rMSCs in vitro and synergistic effects of rMSCs and
salidroside on the experimental hepatic
fibrosis in rats. rMSCs treated with 10 microg/mL, 20 microg/mL and 50 microg/mL
salidroside were taken at 14 days and the
proteins were subjected to western blot analysis. Hepatic
fibrosis was induced in rats by administration of porcine serum for 8 weeks. Then, rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control group, hepatic
fibrosis group (model),
salidroside group, rMSCs group and rMSCs plus
salidroside group. Four weeks later, the localization and differentiation of rMSCs were determined. To evaluate the improvement of liver injury, the pathology of hepatocytes (or liver) and serum
transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) were assessed. Induced rMSCs expressed
alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and
albumin (ALB), which suggested rMSCs differentiated towards hepatocytes; moreover, E-adherin and
beta-catenin were involved in the hepatic differentiation of rMSCs. In experiments of rMSCs
transplantation, the amount of
collagen in the liver of rMSCs plus
salidroside treated rats was significantly lowered accompanied by reduced expression of
TGF-beta1, when compared to the control group and rMSCs group. These findings suggested the synergistic effects of rMSCs
transplantation and
salidroside on hepatic
fibrosis.
Salidroside could differentiate rMSCs towards hepatocytes and E-adherin and
beta-catenin were involved in the hepatic differentiation of rMSCs. Treatment with rMSCs
transplantation and
salidroside exerted synergistic effects on the experimental hepatic
fibrosis via suppressing the expression of
TGF-beta1.