Abstract: Objective: To investigate the protective effect of chlorogenic acid from Lycium barbarum on cardiac fibroblast (CF) fibrosis induced by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Methods: A TGF-β1 concentration of 10 ng/mL was used to induce CF fibrosis. The CFs were further treated with different concentrations of chlorogenic acid, and their proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The expression of the fibrosis markers collagen (Col) I and Col III was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) by immunofluorescence. The mRNA expression levels of Acta2, Twist1, Snail1, Snail2, Smad4 and S100A4 were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Western blot analysis was used to evaluate the expression levels TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway-related proteins and their phosphorylation levels. Results: Chlorogenic acid from Lycium barbarum could inhibit abnormal cell proliferation, and down-regulate the expression of Col I, Col III and α-SMA, the mRNA expression of Acta2, Twist1, Snail1, Snail2, Smad4 and S100A4 (P < 0.001) and the expression of the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway-related proteins (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Within the concentration range tested in this study, chlorogenic acid from Lycium barbarum inhibits the fibrosis process of CFs induced by TGF-β1, and the mechanism may be related to the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway.

Key words: myocardial fibrosis; transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1; TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway; chlorogenic acid; cardiac fibroblasts