Aims
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic, irreversible, and debilitating lung disease that typically leads to respiratory failure, and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Few drugs are effective for the treatment of patients with PF or for reducing the rate of disease progression. Main
Methods
Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a profibrotic cytokine that signals through Smad and non-Smad pathways. Verbascoside (VB) and isoverbascoside (isoVB) exhibit anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities, however, their anti-fibrotic effects remain unclear. This study evaluated the effects of VB and isoVB on TGF-β1-stimulated murine lung fibroblasts (MLg 2908) and also human lung fibroblasts (confirmed by immunostaining). Key findings: Neither VB nor isoVB had a cytotoxic effect on MLg 2908 fibroblasts. Both compounds (10 μM) reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species and markedly attenuated collagen I expression in TGF-β1 (5 ng/ml)-induced MLg 2908 cells compared to TGF-β1 alone. Both compounds suppressed the TGF-β1-induced phosphorylation of Smad2/3 and ERK/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). VB and isoVB, but not pirfenidone and nintedanib, inhibited TGF-β1-induced pSmad2/3, ERK/p38 MAPK, and collagen I expression. VB and isoVB also decreased collagen I deposition in TGF-β1-induced MLg 2908 cells. Only isoVB significantly suppressed collagen I deposition in TGF-β1-induced human pulmonary cells. Our
Significance
The present findings suggest that VB or isoVB may be used as a supplement to alleviate PF.