Combined taurine, epigallocatechin gallate and genistein therapy reduces HSC-T6 cell proliferation and modulates the expression of fibrogenic factors
Authors: Ming Liao
Yan Li
Xing Lin
Min He
Ying Luo
Xuerong Zhang
Journal: International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2013)
Discipline: CHEMISTRY
Keywords: Hepatic fibrogenesis; hepatic stellate cells; liver fibrosis; taurine; epigallocatechin gallate
Affiliations: Guangxi University Library, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China. .

Abstract:  Hepatic fibrogenesis involves the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which synthesize excess extracellular matrix and contribute to the development of liver fibrosis. In a prior study we tested the effect of combined treatment with taurine, epigallocatechin gallate and genistein on the development of alcohol-induced liver fibrosis in vitro. In this study, the biological activity of the combination of these molecules was assessed by measuring its effect on cell proliferation, fibrosis-related gene expression, and proteomic expression profiling in the activated HSC cell line, HSC-T6. HSC-T6 cells were incubated with different concentrations of the drug combination taurine, epigallocatechin gallate and genistein. Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), collagen type I (Col-I), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 and 2 (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) mRNA were analyzed by semi-quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. Proteomic profiling of HSC-T6 cells was also performed by SELDI-TOF-MS. Combined drug treatment significantly inhibited cell proliferation and TGF-β1, Col-I, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 mRNA expression in activated HSC-T6 cells, while the expression of MMP-2 mRNA increased. A total of 176 protein m/z peaks were identified. The intensities of 10 protein peaks were downregulated and two protein peaks were upregulated in HSC-T6 cells after combined drug treatment. In conclusion, combined drug treatment with taurine, epigallocatechin gallate and genistein can inhibit HSC proliferation, and impact fibrosis-related gene and protein expression. The antifibrotic effects of this drug combination may be due to its effects on the expression of fibrogenic genes. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
  Figure 2. The mRNA expression levels of genes associated with hepatic fibrogenesis in HSC-T6 cells treated with a combination of taurine, EGCG and genistein. ...The relative mRNA expression levels of TGF-u03b21 (A) ... TIMP-1 (C) ... are presented; upper panels shown representative pictures of agarose gels ... in (I) untreated control cells; or cells treated with (II) 0.015 m g mL taurine, 0.0175 mg mL EGCG and 0.0035 mg mL genistein; (III) 0.03 mg mL taurine, 0.035 mg mL EGCG and 0.007 mg mL genistein; or (IV) 0.06 mg mL taurine, 0.07 mg mL EGCG and 0.014 mg mL genistein; (M) marker. At right, contrast-enhanced versions. ![file] Am I correct in inferring, from the similar positions of the bands relative to the Marker lanes, that the mRNAs for TGF-u03b21 and TIMP-1 have the same number of base pairs? , 
 #1 Dear Dr Hoya Camphorifolia, We appreciate your kind work for finding our manuscript mistake in two figure presentations. As you pointed out, the base numbers of the two genes TGF-u03b21 and TIMP-1 are different, although their PCR amplification target products have small differences on lengths in our experiments. We re-check our raw data and sorry to make this mistake figure use due to our carelessness. And we will make a corrigendum in Int. J. Mol. Sci. Once again, we thank for your helpful effort for our research improvement. We will be more cautious in our future research work and constantly improve our research standards. Best regards, Yan Li. , 
 #1 Dear Dr Hoya Camphorifolia, We appreciate your kind work for finding our manuscript mistake in two figure presentations. As you pointed out, the base numbers of the two genes TGF-u03b21 and TIMP-1 are different, although their PCR amplification target products have small differences on lengths in our experiments. We re-check our raw data and sorry to make this mistake figure use due to our carelessness. And we will make a corrigendum in Int. J. Mol. Sci. Once again, we thank for your helpful effort for our research improvement. We will be more cautious in our future research work and constantly improve our research standards. Best regards, Yan Li. , 
 #1 Dear Dr Hoya Camphorifolia, We appreciate your kind work for finding our manuscript mistake in two figure presentations. As you pointed out, the base numbers of the two genes TGF-u03b21 and TIMP-1 are different, although their PCR amplification target products have small differences on lengths in our experiments. We re-check our raw data and sorry to make this mistake figure use due to our carelessness. And we will make a corrigendum in Int. J. Mol. Sci. Once again, we thank for your helpful effort for our research improvement. We will be more cautious in our future research work and constantly improve our research standards. Best regards, Yan Li. , 
 Correction [26 February 2021] . --------------------------------------------- The authors regret that, during the preparation of our published manuscript u201cCombined taurine, epigallocatechin gallate and genistein therapy reduces HSC-T6 cell proliferation and modulates the expression of fibrogenic factorsu201d [1], we submitted an incorrect version of Figure 2. Thus, Figure 2 should be replaced with the following figure (Figure 1). ![] ,