Effect of imatinib mesylate on rat lung fibroblast activation induced by free silica dust in vitro

Aim:To evaluate the effect of imatinib mesylate(IM) on the activation process of rat lung fibroblast(LF) exposed to free silica(SiO2) dust.Methods:SiO2 suspension was used to stimulate alveolus macrophage for 24 h,and the supernatant was collected to culture LF(positive control group).In the experimental groups,LF was stimulated by the collected supernatant with 0.2,1.0,and 5.0 μmol/L dose of IM.AM supernatant without SiO2 was used as negative control.24 h later,the supernatants of all groups were collected to detect the survival condition of actived LF by MTT method,the mRNA expression of α-SMA,COLⅠ and COLⅢ,using real-time PCR,the COLⅠ and COLⅢ protein by ELISA,and the total protein by BradFord assay.Results:There were significant differences in the survival condition of IF,the expressions of α-SMA mRNA,COLⅠmRNA and protein,COLⅢ mRNA and protein,and the total protein among the 5 groups(F=3.571,3.904,18.686,6.582,28.983,8.555 and 9.918,P0.05).Compared with those of the negative control group,the indexes were higher in positive control group(P0.05).Compared with those of the positive control group,the indexes were lower in the experimental groups,which decreased with the IM concentration increase(P0.05).Conclusion:IM has the inhibition effect on LF activation stimulated by free SiO2.