Hesperetin attenuates angiotensin II-induced collagen expression in cardiac fibroblasts in vitro

Abstract

To explore the effect of hesperetin (HES) on collagen expression in cardiac fibroblasts in vitro induced by angiotensin II (AngII). Cell growth was determined by trypan blue staining, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by microplate reader, the expressions of collagen I,III and matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1) by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cell proliferation by cell counting kit-8. HES and AngII+HES had no effect on cellular activity. AngII significantly increased ROS generation (1.70 ± 0.12 vs 1, P < 0.01), gene expression of collagen I,III both increased (1.31 ± 0.08 vs 1, 1.40 ± 0.09 vs 1, both P < 0.01) while MMP-1 decreased (0.68 ± 0.03 vs 1, P < 0.01). Ang II also induced the proliferation of fibroblasts (1.91 ± 0.18 vs 1, P < 0.01). While HES (25, 50, 100 µmol/L) or NAC (1 mmol/L) reversed these effects during co-treating with AngII, ROS decreased versus the Ang II group(1.37 ± 0.05, 1.16 ± 0.08, 1.07 ± 0.07, 1.12 ± 0.07 vs 1.70 ± 0.12, all P < 0.01) , gene expression of collagenI,III also decreased (1.22 ± 0.08 and 1.27 ± 0.07, 1.14 ± 0.07 and 1.00 ± 0.06, 1.02 ± 0.06 and 0.99 ± 0.05, 1.08 ± 0.07 and 1.09 ± 0.06 vs 1.31 ± 0.08 and 1.40 ± 0.09, all P < 0.01), MMP-1 increased (0.76 ± 0.05, 0.88 ± 0.07, 1.01 ± 0.08, 0.96 ± 0.07 vs 0.68 ± 0.03, P < 0.01) versus the Ang II group. Cell proliferation was also inhibited (1.42 ± 0.07, 1.38 ± 0.03, 1.07 ± 0.15, 1.16 ± 0.11 vs 1.91 ± 0.18, all P < 0.01). NAC had the same effect with HES. HES inhibits the synthesis of collagen and the Ang II-induced proliferation of fibroblast through suppressing the ROS generation.