Open Access

Matrine prevents the early development of hepatocellular carcinoma like lesions in rat liver

  • Authors:
    • Jianfei Shi
    • Xin Han
    • Jinfeng Wang
    • Guangjie Han
    • Man Zhao
    • Xiaoling Duan
    • Lili Mi
    • Ning Li
    • Xiaolei Yin
    • Huacun Shi
    • Cuizhen Li
    • Jintan Gao
    • Jinsheng Xu
    • Fei Yin
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: August 9, 2019     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.7875
  • Pages: 2583-2591
  • Copyright: © Shi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Matrine (C15H24N2O) is an alkaloid extracted from the Chinese herb Sophora flavescens that has anti‑fibrotic and anti‑cancer properties. The aim of the present study was to determine the chemopreventive effect of matrine on the development of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its possible association with the suppression of the Notch signaling pathway. The rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control, model, low‑dose matrine and high‑dose matrine groups. The model was established by combining a partial hepatectomy with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) + 2‑acetylaminofluorene (2‑AAF). Low‑ and high‑dose matrine groups received intragastric administration of matrine (0.25 and 2.5 g/l of matrine, respectively). DEN + 2‑AAF injections and hepatectomy were not performed in the control group. All rats were sacrificed 2, 4 and 7 weeks after hepatectomy. HCC‑like histopathological lesions were detected using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression levels of α‑1‑fetoprotein (AFP), albumin (ALB), Notch1 and Hes1 were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Hepatic lobule structure loss, liver tissue necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration, and edema degeneration were observed in the model group. By contrast, hepatocyte cord structure was restored and hepatocyte edema degeneration was significantly reduced after 7 weeks of treatment with matrine. In addition, compared with the model group, matrine reduced the expression of AFP, increased the expression of ALB and reduced the expression of Notch1 and Hes1 (only for high‑dose matrine; all P<0.05). The findings suggested that matrine could prevent the early development of HCC‑like lesions in a rat model, possibly by modulating Notch pathway activation.
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October-2019
Volume 18 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Shi J, Han X, Wang J, Han G, Zhao M, Duan X, Mi L, Li N, Yin X, Shi H, Shi H, et al: Matrine prevents the early development of hepatocellular carcinoma like lesions in rat liver. Exp Ther Med 18: 2583-2591, 2019
APA
Shi, J., Han, X., Wang, J., Han, G., Zhao, M., Duan, X. ... Yin, F. (2019). Matrine prevents the early development of hepatocellular carcinoma like lesions in rat liver. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 18, 2583-2591. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.7875
MLA
Shi, J., Han, X., Wang, J., Han, G., Zhao, M., Duan, X., Mi, L., Li, N., Yin, X., Shi, H., Li, C., Gao, J., Xu, J., Yin, F."Matrine prevents the early development of hepatocellular carcinoma like lesions in rat liver". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 18.4 (2019): 2583-2591.
Chicago
Shi, J., Han, X., Wang, J., Han, G., Zhao, M., Duan, X., Mi, L., Li, N., Yin, X., Shi, H., Li, C., Gao, J., Xu, J., Yin, F."Matrine prevents the early development of hepatocellular carcinoma like lesions in rat liver". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 18, no. 4 (2019): 2583-2591. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.7875