Effects of Tetramethylpyrazine on Apoptosis and Tissue Inhibitor of Metal-oproteinase mRNA Expression in Human Hepatic Stellate Cell

Objective:To investigate the effects of tetramethylpyrazine(TMP) on apoptosis and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 mRNA(TIMP-1 mRNA)expression in cultured human hepatic stellate cell(HSC)in viro.Methods:LX-2 human hepatic stellate cell line was chosen as the study model of the activated hepatic stellate cell.The apoptosis-promoting effects of TMP were detected by flow cytometry using Annexin/PI-staining and the TIMP-1 mRNA expression was performed by RT-PCR on HSC after 48h culture in different concentrations of TMP.Results:TMP can promote obviously HSC apoptosis and with elevation of TMP,the early apoptosis rate was raised magnificently compared with that of the control group(P0.01 or P0.05).At the same time,TMP can decrease magnificently the TIMP-1 mRNA expression compared with that of the control group(P0.01).Conclusion:The antifibrotic mechanism of TMP might be partly due to promoting apoptosis and inhibiting the TIMP-1 mRNA expression of hepatic stellate cell.