Effect of hepatocyte growth factor on expression of connective tissue growth factor in cardiac fibroblasts

Objective To observe the effect of hepatocyte growth factor on the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in cultured cardiac fibroblast(CFs).Methods CFs of neonatal Sprague-Dawley (SD)rats were isolated and cultured. Immunocytochemistry staining was used to monitor the marker antigen of the neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts. HGF 100ng/ml and AngⅡof 10-6mol/L were added to the medium for 48 hours to observe the effects of HGF on CTGF mRNA and protein expression stimulated by AngⅡ.The expression of CTGF mRNA and protein were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot respectively.Results HGF could partly reduce the AngⅡ-dependent expression of CTGF both in mRNA and protein level. Conclusion HGF and CTGF may be a couple of contradictory growth factor. HGF could delay the procession of their myocardial fibrosis partly because of inhibiting the expression of CTGF.