摘要AIM: To investigate the effect of peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ,) and its ligand,ciglitazone, on inflammatory regulation of human gallbladder epithelial cells (HGBECs) and to assess the effect of human epithelial growth factor (hEGF) on growth of HGBECs.METHODS: HGBECs were cultured in media containing hEGF or in hEGF-free media. HGBECs were divided into normal control group, inflammatory control group and ciglitazone group (test group). Inflammatory control group and ciglitazone group were treated with 5 μg/L of human interleukin-1β (hIL-1β) to make inflammatory model of HGBECs. The ciglitazone group was treated with various concentrations of ciglitazone, a potent ligand of PPAR-γ.Subsequently, interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations in all groups were measured. The data were analyzed statistically.RESULTS: HGBECs were cultured in medium successfully.The longevity of HGBECs in groups containing hEGF was longer than that in hEGF-free groups. So was the number of HGBECs. The longest survival time of HGBEC was 25 d.The inflammatory model of HGBECs was obtained by treating with hIL-1β. The concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 in ciglitazone group were lower than those in inflammatory control group (P＜0.05). The secretion of IL-6 in inflammatory control group was higher (350.31±37.05 μg/L) than that in normal control group (50.0±0.00 μg/L, P＜0.001).Compared to normal control group, IL-8 concentration in inflammatory control was higher (P＜0.05).CONCLUSION: hEGF improves the growth of HGBECsin vitro. Ciglitazone inhibits the inflammation of HGBECs in vitroand has potential therapeutic effect on cholecystitis in vivo.