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Qifangweitong Granules regulates the expression of TFF1 in Helicobacter pylori-infected AGS cells via the ERK/NF-κB signaling pathway

AIM: To investigate the effect of Qifangweitong Granules on the expression of trefoil factor family 1 (TFF1) in human gastric cancer cell line AGS infected by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and the possible regulatory mechanism involved.

METHODS: TAGS cells infected by H. pylori were exposed to Qifangweitong Granules in the presence or absence of U0126, a special inhibitor of ERK1/2 pathway. After treatment, the expression of TFF1 mRNA and protein in H. pylori-infected AGS cells was determined using real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RFQ-PCR) and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTS: Treatment with 10%, 20% and 30% Qifangweitong Granules drug serum significantly up-regulated the expression of TFF1 mRNA in AGS cells infected by H. pylori compared to control cells (271 ± 33, 305 ± 23, 327 ± 13 vs 187 ± 30, all P < 0.05). The protein expression of TFF1, p-ERK, and NF-κB in AGS cells treated with 10%, 20% and 30% Qifangweitong Granules drug serum was also significantly higher than that in control cells (TFF1: 271 ± 22, 358 ± 31, 428 ± 34 vs 210 ± 13, all P < 0.05). After blocking the ERK signal transduction pathway, the protein expression of TFF1 was significantly down-regulated compared to the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Treatment with Qifangweitong Granules regulates the expression of TFF1 in Helicobacter pylori-infected AGS cells possibly via the ERK/NF-κB signal transduction pathway.

Effect of moxibustion preconditioning on proliferation and repair factors in gastric mucosa of rats with stress-induced gastric mucosal lesions

AIM: To observe the effect of moxibustion preconditioning on proliferation and repair factors (EGF, TGF-a, TFF₁ and PCNA) in the serum and gastric mucosa of rats with stress-induced gastric mucosal lesions, and to explore the possible mechanisms involved.

METHODS: Forty eight SPF-class SD rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, acupoint moxibustion (AM) group and non-acupoint moxibustion (N-AM) group. After 8 days of pretreatment, the rats except those in the blank group received water restraint stress (WRS) to induce gastric mucosal lesions. The gastric mucosal injury index was evaluated using the Guth's method. Histological changes in the gastric mucosa were observed by light microscopy. Serum contents of EGF and TGF-a were measured by radioimmunoassay and the contents of EGF, TGF-a , TFF₁ and PCNA in the gastric mucosa were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS: Compared to the model group and N-AM group, gastric mucosal injury index decreased markedly (14.667 ± 5.710 vs 27.250 ± 7.448, 24.750 ± 7.300, both P < 0.01) while the contents of EGF and TGF-a in the serum (2.167 ± 0.756 vs 1.147 ± 0.983, 1.358 ± 0.962, both P < 0.05; 11.170 ± 1.315 vs 4.585 ± 0.720 vs 5.118 ± 0.659, both P < 0.01) and those of EGF, TGF-a and PCNA in the gastric mucosa (343.560 ± 27.644 vs 269.610 ± 45.119, 279.590 ± 58.890, both P < 0.05; 147.470 ± 17.784 vs 115.530 ± 24.319, 116.620 ± 14.908, both P < 0.01; 191.910 ± 37.262 vs 154.580 ± 18.910, 152.450 ± 20.333, both P < 0.05) increased significantly in the AM group. Compared to model group, the content of TFF₁ in the gastric mucosa increased significantly (4.573 ± 0.121 vs 3.654 ± 0.507, P < 0.05) in the AM group.

CONCLUSION: Moxibustion preconditioning at acupoints can repair stress-inducd gastric mucosal injury and promote gastric mucosa cell proliferation via mechanisms which are closely related to elevating the contents of factors for proliferation and repair (EGF, TGF-a, TFF₁ and PCNA) in the serum and gastric mucosa.

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