[Inducement effect of matrine on phenotype changes of rat hepatic oval cells]

Atypical dysplasia of oval cells plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To prevent oval cells from carcinogenesis or induce them to differenciate into hepatocytes will become an effective way for chemical treatment of HCC. This study was to construct a rat hepatic oval cell proliferation model, and observe the inducement effect of matrine on phenotype changes of hepatic oval cells.

Hepatic oval cell proliferation model was constructed with SD rats by 2-acetaminofluorene administration and 2/3 partial hepatectomy, and divided into model group, low dose matrine group, high dose matrine group, and control group. Ultrastructure of oval cells was observed by electron microscopy. The expression of Thy-1 and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) and adenosine triphosphatase was detected by enzyme-histochemisty.

The oval cells in high dose matrine groups were larger and contained more rough endoplasmic reticula than those in control group. The expression index of Thy-1 was 8.15+/-2.64 in model group, 5.27+/-1.32 in low dose matrine group, 3.83+/-0.35 in high dose matrine group, and 1.63+/-0.22 in control group; it was significantly lower in high dose matrine group than in model group (P<0.05). The number of AFP-positive cells was 15.36+/-4.42 in model group, 9.75+/-2.41 in low dose matrine group, 7.33+/-1.38 in high dose matrine group, and 2.51+/-0.93 in control group; it was significantly lower in high dose matrine group than in model group (P<0.05). The inhibition rate of gamma-GT was significantly higher in high dose matrine group than in low dose matrine group (55.37% vs. 33.35%, P<0.05).

Matrine can inhibit the proliferation of oval cells, induce ultrastructure changes, and suppress the expression of Thy-1, AFP, and gamma-GT.