[Effects of tumor necrosis factor alpha on the expression of connective tissue growth factor in hepatic stellate cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) on the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in vitro. METHODS: HSCs were prepared from SD rats by in situ perfusion and single-step Nycodenz gradient, and were treated with TNF-alpha and TGF-beta 1. The expression of CTGF in HSC was assessed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Both TNF-alpha and TGF-beta 1 could stimulate the expression of CTGF mRNA in HSC. The expression of CTGF was not found in HSC after treatment with TNF-alpha(10microgram/L) for 6 hours, but was observed after TNF-alpha treatment for 24 and 48 hours. TGF-beta1 could induce the mRNA expression for CTGF just after 6 hours of treatment at 1microgram/L concentration. CONCLUSIONS: TNF-alpha is able to induce the expression of CTGF in HSC, and this may be one of the mechanisms for TNF-alpha involving in the liver fibrosis.