AcSDKP inhibits the proliferation and collagen expression of cardiac fibroblasts induced by PDGF through blocking the ERK1/2 and JNK pathway activation

In the present study, we investigated the effect of ERK1/2 and JNK signaling pathway in the inhibition of AcSDKP on the proliferation and collagen synthesis in cultured rat cardiac fibroblasts induced by PDGF. By using MTT assay and Western Blot analysis, we found that treating the fibroblasts with PDGF, phospho-ERK1/2 and phospho-JNK expression was significantly increased compared with the control group, while proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts and type I and type III collagen expression also increased. However, after PD98059 and SP600125 blocked activation of ERK1/2 and JNK signaling pathway, the effect of PDGF on fibroblasts decreased. Similarly, AcSDKP also significantly inhibited PDGF-induced ERK1/2 and JNK phosphorylation, and at the same time, fibroblasts proliferation and collagen expression induced by PDGF also decreased significantly. These findings suggest that AcSDKP could inhibit the proliferation and collagen expression of cardiac fibroblasts induced by PDGF through blocking the ERK1/2 and JNK pathway activation.