Abstract
Background/Purpose. To study the effect of Xiao-Chai-Hu-Tang on the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and to determine the relationship between the expression levels of PCNA and epidermal growth factor in a rat model of bile duct ligationinduced biliary fibrosis. Methods. In this study, we used immunohistochemical staining to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in hepatocytes and bile duct epithelium in bile duct-ligated rats with or without Xiao-Chai-Hu-Tang treatment for six weeks. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the level of epidermal growth factor mRNA expression. Results. Treatment with Xiao-Chai-Hu-Tang for six weeks reduced the expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and epidermal growth factor in hepatocytes and in bile duct epithelium. Expression of epidermal growth factor significantly correlated with the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Conclusion. Bile duct ligation significantly induced the proliferation of hepatocytes and bile duct cells. Proliferation correlated with the increased expression of epidermal growth factor mRNA. Our data suggest that Xiao-Chai-Hu-Tang inhibits mRNA expression of epidermal growth factor, thereby reducing further hepatocellular proliferation in rats with biliary fibrosis.
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