Figure 2

PT-induced apoptosis in HSCs and hepatocytes. (A) Effect of PT on the apoptotic cell death in primary HSCs and hepatocytes from rat liver tissue. ^**P < 0.01. ^*P < 0.05. (B) Western blot analysis demonstrated cleavage of PARP and caspase-3 in primary HSCs and hepatocytes treated with PT at indicated concentrations. (C) TNF-α-stimulated NF-κB binding activity in RI-T cells. TNF-α-stimulated (10 ng/ml) NF-κB binding activity was significantly suppressed by pretreatment with PT at 10-20 µM. (D) Effects of PT (10 µM) in combination with PDTC (100 µM) or TNF-α (10 ng/ml) on the apoptotic cell death in primary HSCs. ^*P < 0.05.