Triptolide ameliorates colonic fibrosis in an experimental rat model

Tao,Qingsong; Wang,Baochai; Zheng,Yu; Li,Guanwei; Ren,Jianan

doi:10.3892/mmr.2015.3582

Triptolide ameliorates colonic fibrosis in an experimental rat model

Authors:
- Qingsong Tao
- Baochai Wang
- Yu Zheng
- Guanwei Li
- Jianan Ren
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Affiliations: Department of Surgery, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210089, P.R. China, Department of Surgery, Research Institute of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, P.R. China
Published online on: April 1, 2015 https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.3582
Pages: 1891-1897
Copyright: © Tao et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY_NC 3.0].

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Abstract

Triptolide is known to exert anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities; however, its impact on intestinal fibrosis has not been previously examined. Based on our previous studies of the suppressive activity of triptolide on human colonic subepithelial myofibroblasts and the therapeutic efficacy of triptolide in Crohn's disease, it was hypothesized that triptolide may have beneficial effects on intestinal fibrosis. In the present study, colonic fibrosis was induced in rats by 6 weekly repeated administration with a low‑dose of 2,4,6‑trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) and was then treated with triptolide or PBS daily (control) simultaneously. Extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in the colon was examined with image analysis of Masson Trichrome staining. Total collagen levels in colonic homogenates were measured by a Sircol assay. Collagen Iα1 transcripts and collagen I protein were measured ex vivo in the isolated colonic subepithelial myofibroblasts by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunoblot analysis, respectively. The results indicated that triptolide decreased ECM deposition and collagen production in the colon, and inhibited collagen Iα1 transcripts and collagen I protein expression in the isolated subepithelial myofibroblasts of the rats with colonic fibrosis. In conclusion, triptolide ameliorates colonic fibrosis in the experimental rat model, suggesting triptolide may be a promising compound for inflammatory bowel disease treatment.

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