Effects of Ganfukang on expression of connective tissue growth factor and focal adhesion kinase/protein kinase B signal pathway in hepatic fibrosis rats.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the effect of Ganfukang (GFK) on connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/protein kinase B (PKB or Akt) signal pathway in a hepatic fibrosis rat model and to explore the underlying therapeutic molecular mechanisms of GFK.

METHODS:

Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into five groups as follows: the control group, the model group (repeated subcutaneous injection of CCl4), and the three GFK treatment groups (31.25, 312.5, and 3125 mg/kg, intragastric administration). Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to examine the expression of CTGF, integrin α5, integrin β1, FAK/Akt signal pathway, cyclinD1, and collagen in the different-treated rats.

RESULTS:

GFK attenuated the up-regulation of CTGF, integrin α5, and integrin β1 in hepatic fibrosis rats and suppressed both the phosphorylation of FAK and the phosphorylation of Akt simultaneously (P<0.01). At the same time, the expression of cyclinD1, collagen I, and collagen III was decreased by GFK significantly (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS:

CTGF and FAK/Akt signal pathway were activated in the CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis rats, which contribute to increased expression of cyclinD1 and collagen genes. The mechanisms of the anti-fibrosis activity of GFK may be due to its effects against CTGF and FAk/Akt signal pathway.

• Authors: Kun Zhang, Miao-na Jiang, Cai-hua Zhang, Cong Li, Yu-jie Jia
• Journal: Chinese journal of integrative medicine (Chin J Integr Med) Vol. 20 Issue 6 Pg. 438-44 (Jun 2014) ISSN: 1993-0402 [Electronic] China
• PMID: 23990393 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Integrin alpha5
• Integrin beta1
• gan-fu-kang
• Cyclin D1
• Connective Tissue Growth Factor
• Collagen
• Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt

Topics

• Animals
• Collagen (genetics, metabolism)
• Connective Tissue Growth Factor (genetics, metabolism)
• Cyclin D1 (genetics, metabolism)
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases (metabolism)
• Gene Expression Regulation (drug effects)
• Integrin alpha5 (genetics, metabolism)
• Integrin beta1 (genetics, metabolism)
• Liver (drug effects, enzymology, pathology)
• Liver Cirrhosis (drug therapy, enzymology, genetics, pathology)
• Male
• Phosphorylation (drug effects)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt (metabolism)
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)