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Targeting Follistatin like 1 ameliorates liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride through TGF-?1-miR29a in mice.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Hepatic fibrosis is a pathological response of the liver to a variety of chronic stimuli. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the major source of myofibroblasts in the liver. Follistatin like 1 (Fstl1) is a secreted glycoprotein induced by transforming growth factor-?1 (TGF-?1). However, the precise functions and regulation mechanisms of Fstl1 in liver fibrogenesis remains unclear. METHODS:Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line LX-2 stimulated by TGF-?1, primary culture of mouse HSCs and a model of liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 in mice was used to assess the effect of Fstl1 in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS:Here, we found that Fstl1 was significantly up regulated in human and mouse fibrotic livers, as well as activated HSCs. Haplodeficiency of Fstl1 or blockage of Fstl1 with a neutralizing antibody 22B6 attenuated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in vivo. Fstl1 modulates TGF-?1 classic Samd2 and non-classic JNK signaling pathways. Knockdown of Fstl1 in HSCs significantly ameliorated cell activation, cell migration, chemokines C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 2 (CCL2) and C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 8 (CXCL8) secretion and extracellular matrix (ECM) production, and also modulated microRNA-29a (miR29a) expression. Furthermore, we identified that Fstl1 was a target gene of miR29a. And TGF-?1 induction of Fstl1 expression was partially through down regulation of miR29a in HSCs. CONCLUSIONS:Our data suggests TGF-?1-miR29a-Fstl1 regulatory circuit plays a key role in regulation the HSC activation and ECM production, and targeting Fstl1 may be a strategy for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Video Abstract.

SUBMITTER: Xu XY

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7493388 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Targeting Follistatin like 1 ameliorates liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride through TGF-β1-miR29a in mice.

Xu Xin-Yi XY Du Yan Y Liu Xue X Ren Yilin Y Dong Yingying Y Xu Hong-Yu HY Shi Jin-Song JS Jiang Dianhua D Xu Xin X Li Lian L Xu Zheng-Hong ZH Geng Yan Y

Cell communication and signaling : CCS 20200915 1

<h4>Background</h4>Hepatic fibrosis is a pathological response of the liver to a variety of chronic stimuli. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the major source of myofibroblasts in the liver. Follistatin like 1 (Fstl1) is a secreted glycoprotein induced by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). However, the precise functions and regulation mechanisms of Fstl1 in liver fibrogenesis remains unclear.<h4>Methods</h4>Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line LX-2 stimulated by TGF-β1, primary culture of mous ...[more]

PMID: 32933544

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Project description:Background: Liver fibrosis is a complex inflammatory and fibrogenic process, and the progression of fibrosis leads to cirrhosis. The only therapeutic approaches are the removal of injurious stimuli and liver transplantation. Therefore, the development of anti-fibrotic therapies is desired. Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is an endogenous fatty acid amide belonging to the N-acylethanolamines family and contained in foods such as egg yolks and peanuts. PEA has therapeutic anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and neuroprotective effects. However, the effects and roles of PEA in liver fibrosis remain unknown. Here we investigated the therapeutic effects of PEA in rats with liver fibrosis. Methods: We conducted in vitro experiments to investigate the effects of PEA on the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs, LX-2). Liver fibrosis was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of 1.5 mL/kg of 50% carbon tetrachloride twice a week for 4 weeks. Beginning at 3 weeks, PEA (20 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected thrice a week for 2 weeks. Then rats were sacrificed and we performed histological and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses. Results: The expression of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in HSCs was significantly downregulated by PEA. PEA treatment inhibited the TGF-β1-induced phosphorylation of SMAD2 in a dose-dependent manner, and upregulated the expression of SMAD7. The reporter gene assay demonstrated that PEA downregulated the transcriptional activity of the SMAD complex upregulated by TGF-β1. Administration of PEA significantly reduced the fibrotic area, deposition of type I collagen, and activation of HSCs and Kupffer cells in rats with liver fibrosis. Conclusion: Activation of HSCs was significantly decreased by PEA through suppression of the TGF-β1/SMAD signaling pathway. Administration of PEA produced significant improvement in a rat model of liver fibrosis, possibly by inhibiting the activation of HSCs and Kupffer cells. PEA may be a potential new treatment for liver fibrosis.

Project description:Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) is a major factor in pathogenesis of chronic hepatic injury. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a liver toxicant, and CCl4-induced liver injury in mouse is a classical animal model of chemical liver injury. However, it is still unclear whether TGF-β1 is involved in the process of CCl4-induced acute chemical liver injury. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of TGF-β1 and its signaling molecule Smad3 in the acute liver injury induce by CCl4. The results showed that CCl4 induced acute liver injury in mice effectively confirmed by H&E staining of liver tissues, and levels of not only liver injury markers serum ALT and AST, but also serum TGF-β1 were elevated significantly in CCl4-treated mice, compared with the control mice treated with olive oil. Our data further revealed that TGF-β1 levels in hepatic tissue homogenate increased significantly, and type II receptor of TGF-β (TβRII) and signaling molecules Smad2, 3, mRNA expressions and Smad3 and phospho-Smad3 protein levels also increased obviously in livers of CCl4-treated mice. To clarify the effect of the elevated TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling on CCl4-induced acute liver injury, Smad3 in mouse liver was overexpressed in vivo by tail vein injection of Smad3-expressing plasmids. Upon CCl4 treatment, Smad3-overexpressing mice showed more severe liver injury identified by H&E staining of liver tissues and higher serum ALT and AST levels. Simultaneously, we found that Smad3-overexpressing mice treated with CCl4 showed more macrophages and neutrophils infiltration in liver and inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 levels increment in serum when compared with those in control mice treated with CCl4. Moreover, the results showed that the apoptosis of hepatocytes increased significantly, and apoptosis-associated proteins Bax, cytochrome C and the cleaved caspase 3 expressions were up-regulated in CCl4-treated Smad3-overexpressing mice as well. These results suggested that TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling was activated during CCl4-induced acute liver injury in mice, and Smad3 overexpression aggravated acute liver injury by promoting inflammatory cells infiltration, inflammatory cytokines release and hepatocytes apoptosis. In conclusion, the activation of TGF-β signaling contributes to the CCl4-induced acute liver injury. Thus, TGF-β1/Smad3 may serve as a potential target for acute liver injury therapy.

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Targeting Follistatin like 1 ameliorates liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride through TGF-?1-miR29a in mice.

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Targeting Follistatin like 1 ameliorates liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride through TGF-β1-miR29a in mice.

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