Inhibitory effect of cepharanthine on fibronectin production in growth factor-stimulated rat mesangial cells.

We examined the effect of cepharanthine, a biscoclaurine alkaloid, on extracellular matrix production in rat mesangial cells in response to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) or transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). Stimulation of the cells with PDGF increased the amounts of fibronectin, one of extracellular matrix components. Pretreatment with cepharanthine (0.1-2 microM) suppressed the PDGF-stimulated increase in fibronectin in a dose-dependent manner. At a concentration of 2 microM, the alkaloid almost completely suppressed the production. Under the conditions, the alkaloid inhibited tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins including PDGF beta receptor in PDGF-stimulated cells, and also tyrosine kinase activity of the receptor prestimulated with PDGF in a cell-free assay system. Furthermore, cepharanthine suppressed TGF-beta-stimulated fibronectin production at the same concentration ranges. Our results suggest that cepharanthine inhibits fibronectin production induced by growth factors, probably through suppression of receptor autophosphorylation.