Aspidin PB, a novel natural anti-fibrotic compound, inhibited fibrogenesis in TGF-β1-stimulated keloid fibroblasts via PI-3K/Akt and Smad signaling pathways.
Keloid is an overgrowth of scar tissue that develops around a wound. The mechanisms of keloid formation and development still remain unknown, and no effective treatment is available. Searching for active natural resources may develop better prevention and treatment approaches for keloids. Aspidin PB is a natural resource with lower toxicity. We explored its effect on the regulation of TGF-β1-induced expression of type I collagen, CTGF, and α-SMA in keloid fibroblasts (KFs). Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of type I collagen, CTGF, α-SMA, PI-3K/Akt and Smad-dependent and Smad-independent signaling pathway. The effect of aspidin PB on cell viability in human keloid fibroblasts was measured by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide). The percentage of the apoptotic cells was studied by flow cytometry. Based on our results, we revealed that aspidin PB inhibited the production of type I collagen, CTGF, and α-SMA in TGF-β1-induced KFs by blocking PI-3K/Akt signaling pathway. The TGF-β1-mediated phosphorylated levels of Smad2/3 were inhibited by aspidin PB pretreatment. Conclusively, our study suggests that aspidin PB has an inhibitory effect on fibrogenesis in TGF-β1-induced KFs. Our findings imply that aspidin PB has a therapeutic potential to intervene and prevent keloids and other fibrotic diseases.
['Song|Rengang|R|', 'Li|Gaofeng|G|', 'Li|Shirong|S|']
D000199:Actins D002470:Cell Survival D002478:Cells, Cultured D024042:Collagen Type I D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor D003512:Cyclohexanones D032492:Dryopteris D005347:Fibroblasts D005786:Gene Expression Regulation D006801:Humans D007627:Keloid D010696:Phloroglucinol D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors D010766:Phosphorylation D018515:Plant Leaves D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt D015398:Signal Transduction D051899:Smad2 Protein D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
Aspidin PB Keloid fibroblasts PI-3K/Akt Smad TGF-β1