Objective To study the effect of huangqi on peritoneal sclerosis and its possible mechanism.Methods Isolated human
peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC) was cultured . Cultured HPMC were treated with F12 without serum (control group), F12 with TGF-beta1(TGF-beta1 group),F12 with TGF-beta1 and huangqi 100 μg/ml (huangqi 1 group), F12 with TGF-beta1 and huangqi 1 mg/ml (huangqi 2 group).Fibronectin(FN) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1)were detected by ELISA method. The
expression of FN mRNA,PAI-1 mRNA and bFGF mRNA was detected by RT-PCR method. Results ①HPMC expressed FN,PAI-1,and bFGF. ②Fn and PAI-1 significantly increased compared with control with 5 ng/ml TGF-beta1stimulated at 24 hours and 48 hours(P<0.05); ③The different concentration of huangqi decreased FN and PAI-1 expression compared with TGF-beta1 group,especially 1 mg/ml huangqi at 24 hours(P<0.05). ④FN,PAI-1and bFGF mRNA expression were higher in 12hours after stimulation with TGF-beta1 compared with control.FN,PAI-1and bFGF mRNA expression were lower in 12 hours after stimulation with different concentration of huangqi (100 μg/ml and 1mg/ml) than those in the TGF-beta1 group.Conclusion TGF-beta1 promotes extracellular matrix synthesis and secretion of HPMC. Huangqi partly counteracts the synthesis of human peritoneal
mesothelial cell's extracellular matrix by the stimulation of TGF-beta1.