Emodin alleviates cardiac fibrosis by suppressing activation of cardiac fibroblasts via upregulating metastasis associated protein 3

The objective of this study is to determine the effects of emodin on cardiac fibrosis and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Intragastric administration of emodin markedly decreased left ventricular wall thickness in a mouse model of pathological cardiac hypertrophy with excess fibrosis induced by transaortic constriction (TAC) and suppressed activation of cardiac fibroblasts induced by angiotensin II (AngII). Emodin upregulated expression of metastasis associated protein 3 (MTA3) and restored the MTA3 expression in the setting of cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, overexpression of MTA3 promoted cardiac fibrosis; in contrast, silence of MTA3 abrogated the inhibitory effect of emodin on fibroblast activation. Our findings unraveled the potential of emodin to alleviate cardiac fibrosis via upregulating MTA3 and highlight the regulatory role of MTA3 in the development of cardiac fibrosis.Graphical abstractEmodin regulates cardiac fibrosis by metastasis associated protein 3 (MTA3). Cardiac fibroblast activation includes excess proliferation, migration and collagen synthesis, which eventually leads to heart failure. MTA3 is a key regulator of cardiac fibroblast activation, which is upregulated by emodin in the process of cardiac fibrotic inhibition.
Source: Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research