Abstract: Objective The hepatic stellate cell line LX-2 was selected to study the effect of SB-525334 on the secretion of type I collagen and the expression of micro-ribonucleic acid (miR)-19b and miR-29b after stimulation by transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1), so as to evaluate the value of SB-525334 in the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis.Methods Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method was used to detect the optimal concentration and time of TGF-β1 and SB-525334 interfering with LX-2 cells. Then the LX-2 cells were divided into 4 groups, the control group, the TGF-β1 intervention group, the SB-525334 intervention group, and the co-intervention group. The expression of type I collagen, miR-19b and miR-29b was analyzed by western blot and reverse transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).Results Hepatic stellate cell MTT test showed that the highest survival rate was 132.0% when the concentration of TGF-β1 was 10 ng/mL. When the concentration of SB-525334 was 10 μmol/L, the inhibition rate was 38.4%. Western blot showed that SB-525334 inhibited type I collagen expression in LX-2 cells. The type I collagen expression of LX-2 cells in TGF-β1 intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group ([82.80±4.39]% vs [17.89±4.27]%, P<0.01). The type I collagen expression of LX-2 cells in co-intervention group was lower than that in TGF-β1 intervention group ([62.62±3.72)% vs [82.80±4.39]%, P<0.05). RT-qPCR showed that SB-525334 downregulated miR-19b expression in LX-2 cells. The relative miR-19b expression of LX-2 cells in TGF-β1 intervention group, SB-525334 intervention group, and co-intervention group (0.62±0.07, 0.28±0.06, 0.64±0.20) was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.01). The relative miR-19b expression of LX-2 cells in co-intervention group was higher than that in SB-525334 group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the relative miR-19b expression of LX-2 cells between co-intervention and TGF-β1 intervention groups (P>0.05). Besides, SB-525334 downregulated miR-29b expression in LX-2 cells. The relative miR-29b expression of LX-2 cells in TGF-β1 intervention group, SB-525334 intervention group, and co-intervention group (0.77±0.05, 0.44±0.04, 0.61±0.06) was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The relative miR-29b expression of LX-2 cells in co-intervention group was lower than that in TGF-β1 group (P<0.05). The relative miR-29b expression of LX-2 cells in co-intervention group was higher than that in SB-525334 group (P<0.05).Conclusion TGF-β1 inhibitor SB-525334 inhibited the secretion of type I collagen as well as downregulated the expression of miR-19b and miR-29b in hepatic stellate cells.

Key words: SB-525334, Hepatic stellate cells, Transforming growth factor beta1, Type I collagen, Micro-ribonucleic acid-19b, Micro-ribonucleic acid-29b