Effect of transforming growth factor beta and bone morphogenetic proteins on rat hepatic stellate cell proliferation and trans-differentiation.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To explore different roles of TGF-beta (transforming growth factor beta) and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) in hepatic stellate cell proliferation and trans-differentiation. METHODS: Hepatic stellate cells were isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats. Sub-cultured hepatic stellate cells were employed for cell proliferation assay with WST-1 reagent and Western blot analysis with antibody against smooth muscle alpha actin (SMA). RESULTS: The results indicated that TGF-beta1 significantly inhibited cell proliferation at concentration as low as 0.1 ng/ml, but both BMP-2 and BMP-4 did not affect cell proliferation at concentration as high as 10 ng/ml. The effect on hepatic stellate cell trans-differentiation was similar between TGF-beta1 and BMPs. However, BMPs was more potent at trans-differentiation of hepatic stellate cells than TGF-beta1. In addition, we observed that TGF-beta1 transient reduced the abundance of SMA in hepatic stellate cells. CONCLUSION: TGF-beta may be more important in regulation of hepatic stellate cell proliferation while BMPs may be the major cytokines regulating hepatic stellate cell trans-differentiation.