Abstract

To investigate the inhibitory effect of arresten on TGF-β1 expression in biliary endothelial cells (BECs), BECs was collected by primary culture from human biliary scar tissue. The cells were cultured by different concentrations arresten. 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-. 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to measure the proliferation rate of BECs, and the mRNA and protein expression of TGF-β1 were measured by semi-quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western-blot, respectively. Proliferation of BECs was not inhibited by arresten. However, the mRNA and protein expression of TGF-β1 in BECs were decreased after it was incubated with arresten, with dose-dependent. Arresten cannot inhibit BECs proliferation, but it can inhibit the mRNA and protein expression of TGF-β1 of BECs, supposing it maybe play an important role in inhibiting biliary stricture.

Key words: Biliary endothelial cells (BECs), arresten, TGF-β1.

Abbreviation

BECs, Biliary endothelial cells.