Matrix metalloproteinase gene delivery for liver fibrosis

Effects of cocktail therapy on TGF-β1, COL I and COL III expression in liver fibrosis in rats

AIM: To investigate the effects of cocktail therapy on the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), collagen I (COL I) and collagen III (COL III) in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rats.

METHODS: Hepatic fibrosis was induced in rats with carbon tetrachloride. Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups: normal group, model group, colchicine group, taurine group, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) group, genistein group and cocktail therapy group. The rats were sacrificed at week 10 after treatment. The deposition of collagen in liver tissue was observed by HE staining. The expression of TGF-β1, COL I and COL III in hepatic tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS: A significant reduction in collagen deposition and disorganization was noted in the cocktail therapy group when compared with the model group. The expression levels of TGF-β1, COL I and COL III in the cocktail therapy group, genistein group, EGCG group and taurine group, compared with the model group, markedly decreased (TGF-β1: 2.57 ± 0.23, 4.21 ± 0.35, 4.93 ± 0.21 and 4.81 ± 0.16 vs 12.11 ± 0.62, all P < 0.05; COL I: 2.69 ± 0.10, 4.88 ± 0.42, 5.04 ± 0.31 and 4.79 ± 0.29 vs 13.06 ± 0.24, all P < 0.05; COL III: 3.17 ± 0.42, 5.73 ± 0.23, 5.51 ± 0.25 and 5.24 ± 0.18 vs 15.15 ± 0.43, all P < 0.05). Cocktail therapy had a more significant inhibitory effect on the expression of these proteins than other agents tested (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Cocktail therapy has an obvious protective effect against liver fibrosis in rats possibly by remarkably inhibiting TGF-β1, COL I and COL III expression in liver tissue.

Effects of cocktail therapy on cell proliferation and Collagen I and TIMP-1 mRNA expression in rat hepatic stellate cells

AIM: To investigate the effects of cocktail therapy on cell proliferation and collagen I (Col I) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) mRNA expression in rat hepatic stellate cells.

METHODS: Hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6) cultured in vitro were exposed to taurine (taurine group), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG; EGCG group), genistein (genistein group), and a combination of these three drugs (cocktail-treated group) for 24 h, respectively. Cell proliferation was determined by methyl thiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The expression of Col I and TIMP-1 mRNAs was measured by semi-quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTS: Cell proliferation was significantly inhibited in the taurine group, EGCG group, genistein group and cocktail-treated group compared with the control group (0.237 ± 0.007, 0.216 ± 0.009, 0.242 ± 0.008 and 0.130 ± 0.004 vs 0.452 ± 0.011, respectively; all P < 0.05). The reduced rate of cell proliferation was more significant in the cocktail-treated group than in other treatment groups (all P < 0.05). The expression levels of Col I and TIMP-1 mRNAs markedly decreased in all treatment groups when compared with the control group (all P < 0.05). The expression levels of Col I and TIMP-1 mRNAs were significantly lower in the cocktail-treated group than in other treatment groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Cocktail therapy significantly inhibits cell proliferation and down-regulates Col I and TIMP-1 mRNA expression in HSCs. Cocktail therapy may be more effective than monotherapy in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Effects of genistein on cell proliferation and TGF-β1, MMP-2 and TIMP-2 expression in rat hepatic stellate cells

AIM: To investigate the effects of genistein on cell proliferation and the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) in rat hepatic stellate cell (HSC) and explore its possible anti-fibrogenic mechanism.

METHODS: After cultured HSC-T6 cells were exposed to different concentrations of genistein for 24 h, cell proliferation was determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, and the expression of TGF-β1, MMP-2 and TIMP-2 mRNAs was measured by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTS: Genistein at concentrations of 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/L significantly inhibited cell proliferation (0.306 ± 0.0067, 0.256 ± 0.0085, and 0.1316 ± 0.0049 vs 0.4468 ± 0.0299, respectively; all P < 0.05). Compared with untreated cells, the expression of MMP-2 mRNA was markedly upregulated (all P < 0.05), and the expression of TGF-β1 and TIMP-2 mRNAs was markedly dowregulated (all P < 0.05) in HSCs treated with different concentrations of genistein.

CONCLUSION: Genistein exerts anti-fibrogenic effects perhaps by inhibiting the expression of TGF-β1 and TIMP-2 mRNAs and increasing the expression of MMP-2 mRNA in HSCs in rats.

Proteomics and liver fibrosis: identifying markers of fibrogenesis

Chronic hepatic disease damages the liver and the resulting wound-healing process might lead to liver fibrosis and subsequent cirrhosis development. Fibrosis is the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the tissue as consequence of chronic liver damage. The fibrotic response triggers almost all of the complications of end-stage liver disease, including portal hypertension, ascites, encephalopathy, synthetic dysfunction and impaired metabolic capacity. Thus, efforts to understand and attenuate fibrosis have direct clinical implications. Reliable, accurate, disease-specific, noninvasive biomarkers of fibrosis and fibrogenesis in order to prevent or minimize the impact of the chronic liver disease progression are a critical need. This review aims to provide an overview of the possibilities that proteome technology can offer to the knowledge, diagnosis and prognosis of liver fibrosis.

[Liver fibrosis: from pathophysiology to therapeutic openings]

Understanding of liver fibrosis pathogenesis has undergone tremendous advances over the past twenty years. In this respect, demonstration of the reversibility of fibrosis was a major turnpoint. The panel of therapeutic targets is continuously expanding. Clinical development has however remained limited, heretofore, but should rapidly progress owing to the availability of accurate non-invasive methods for assessment of fibrosis, to improvement in the selection patients included in therapeutic trials, and to the development of cell specific targeting devices for agents at risk of adverse effects.

Animal models for target diseases in gene therapy--using DNA and siRNA delivery strategies

Nanoparticles, including lipopolyamines leading to lipoplexes, liposomes, and polyplexes are targeted drug carrier systems in the current search for a successful delivery system for polynucleic acids. This review is focused on the impact of gene and siRNA delivery for studies of efficacy, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics within the setting of the wide variety of in vivo animal models now used. This critical appraisal of the recent literature sets out the different models that are currently being investigated to bridge from studies in cell lines through towards clinical reality. Whilst many scientists will be familiar with rodent (murine, fecine, cricetine, and musteline) models, few probably think of fish as a clinically relevant animal model, but zebrafish, madake, and rainbow trout are all being used. Larger animal models include rabbit, cat, dog, and cow. Pig is used both for the prevention of foot-and-mouth disease and human diseases, sheep is a model for corneal transplantation, and the horse naturally develops arthritis. Non-human primate models (macaque, common marmoset, owl monkey) are used for preclinical gene vector safety and efficacy trials to bridge the gap prior to clinical studies. We aim for the safe development of clinically effective delivery systems for DNA and RNAi technologies.