Effects and Mechanisms of Mogroside VI on Hepatic Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transformation and Hepatic Fibrosis

in order to investigate whether Mogroside VI inhibits EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transformation) and fibrosis by regulating Hedgehog pathway, the liver fibrosis model was established by subcutaneous injection of 40% CCl4 in Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were randomly divided into model control group, low dose group and high dose group. The rats in the low dose group and the high dose group were given Mogroside VI 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg daily. The rats in the model control group and the normal control group were given the same volume of purified water daily. The rats in each group were anesthetized for 30 min after the last administration. The blood and liver tissues were taken to measure the liver function index and liver fibrosis index. The liver tissues were taken for pathological observation after Masson staining. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Shh, Smo, Ptch-1, Gli1, α-SMA, E-cadherin and vimentin in liver were determined by qRT-PCR and Western-blot. The results showed that Collagen deposition and fibrosis were reduced in the low and high dose groups (P<0.05); the serum levels of ALT, AST, ALB and TBIL in the low and high dose groups were significantly lower than those in the model control group (P<0.05); the levels of serum HN, LN, PC-III and COL-IV in the low dose group and high dose group were significantly lower than those of the model control group (P<0.05); the levels of α-SMA, vimentin mRNA and protein in the liver of the low and high dose groups were significantly lower than those of the model control group (P<0.05), and the levels of E-cadherin mRNA and protein were significantly higher than those of the model control group (P<0.05); The expression of Shh, Smo, Ptch-1, Gli-1 mRNA and protein in the liver of the low dose group and the high dose group were significantly lower than those of the model control group (P<0.05). This study confirm that Mogroside VI has the hepatoprotective effect, which can inhibit the process of liver fibrosis by inhibiting the EMT, which may play a role in regulating Hedgehog signaling pathway.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2022.12.0002