The Role of Hydrogen Sulfide in the Effect of SB203580 on Proliferation and Apoptosis of Hepatic Stellate Cells

Objective To study the role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the effect of SB203580 on proliferation and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells and the effects of H2S on expressions of collagen Ⅰand collagen Ⅲ mRNA in hepatic stel late cells.Methods There were five groups of HSC-T6 cells in this study including control group (DMEM medium contain ing10% fetal bovine serum), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) group, sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS)group,SB203580 (SB)group and SB+NaHS group. MTT method was used to detect the cell proliferation and inhibition rate of HSC-T6 cells treated by SB203580 and H2S. The apoptotic rate of HSC-T6 cells was detected by flow cytometry with annexin V-FITC/PI double staining. RT-PCR was used to detect the expressions of collagen Ⅰand collagen Ⅲ mRNA in HSC-T6.Results The apop totic rate of HSC-T6 cells was significantly higher in SB group and SB+NaHS group than that of control group, and the rate was significantly higher in SB+NaHS group than that of SB group (P0.05). There was no significant difference in the apop totic rate of HSC-T6 cells between DMSO and NaHS groups than that of control group. The expressions of collagenⅠand col lagen Ⅲ mRNA were found in five groups of cells. There was a higher expression of collagen Ⅰand collagen Ⅲ mRNA in NaHS group than that of control group (P0.05). The expressions of collagen Ⅰand collagen Ⅲ mRNA were significantly lower in SB group and SB+NaHS group than those of control group and NaHS group (P0.05).Conclusion H2S activated P38MAPK signal pathway. And P38MAPK was specifically blocked by SB203580 in HSC-T6 cells, which inhibited the cell proliferation stimulated by H2S and promoted the apoptosis.