Feitai, a Chinese herbal medicine, reduces transforming growth factor-β1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression in bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in mice.

1. Feitai, a Chinese medicine formulation, has been shown to protect against lung fibrosis induced by bleomycin (BLM). In the present study, we investigated the effect of Feitai on transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), which play important roles in the pathogenesis of BLM-induced lung fibrosis. 2. The results demonstrated that Feitai could significantly attenuate BLM-induced acute lung inflammation and subsequent lung fibrosis. Meanwhile, the expression of MCP-1 and TGF-β₁ mRNA in the lungs increased in the BLM-treated group compared with the saline-instilled control group and Feitai treatment significantly decreased cytokine expression in BLM-treated mice. In addition, Feitai diminished the accumulation of MCP-1- and TGF-β1-positive cells in lung tissues at the time of peak mRNA levels. 3. In summary, the results of the present study indicate that treatment with Feitai ameliorates BLM-induced lung fibrosis, at least in part via the inhibition of MCP-1 and TGF-β₁ expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]