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Amniotic Fluid Reduces Liver Fibrosis By Attenuating Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation

ABSTRACT: Background & Aims: Persistent activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) drives liver fibrosis, marked by myofibroblast activation (MFA) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Strategies to prevent or reverse this will be critical to treat liver fibrosis successfully. We previously showed that full-term, cell-free human amniotic fluid (cfAF) inhibits MFA and EMT in fibroblasts in vitro. We hypothesize that cfAF treatment can attenuate HSC activation and limit liver fibrosis. Methods: HSC activation was assessed using murine models of acute (DMN) and chronic (CCl4) liver damage, three-dimensional hepatic spheroids, and HSC cultures. EMT and MFA were induced in vitro using ethanol (spheroids) or TGFβ (HSCs) and evaluated via scratch assays, multi-omics approaches, and RNA/protein analyses. Results: cfAF treatment prevented weight loss in mice with chronic liver damage without adverse events. Histological analysis revealed a modest reduction in fibrosis with preserved liver architecture in both chronic and acute murine liver damage models. Gene expression profiling and immunostaining indicated cfAF administration to CCl4-treated mice led to reduced EMT- and MFA-related biomarkers along with changes in transcripts associated with liver metabolism, immune regulatory pathways, and cell signaling. In hepatic spheroids exposed to ethanol cfAF treatment lowered COL1A1 protein levels and smooth muscle actin (SMA) RNA abundance in a dose-dependent manner. Treating primary or LX2 hepatic stellate cells with cfAF strongly represses EMT, and multi-omics analyses revealed that it also attenuates TGFβ-induced MFA and the inflammatory phenotype. Thus cfAF treatment prevents liver fibrosis by safeguarding hepatic stellate cell activation. Conclusions: cfAF treatment limits liver fibrosis by repressing HSC activation in liver fibrosis models. These findings suggest cfAF may be a safe and effective therapy for reducing liver fibrosis and preventing the development of cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE290015 | GEO | 2025/03/17

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Background & Aims: Rapid induction of beta-PDGF receptor (beta-PDGFR) is a core feature of hepatic stellate cell activation, the hallmark of liver fibrogenesis. However, biological consequences of the induction are not well characterized. We aimed to determine the involvement of beta-PDGFR-mediated molecular pathway activation on hepatic stellate cells in liver injury, fibrogenesis, and carcinogenesis in vivo. Methods: Loss and constitutive activation of beta-PDGFR were assessed in mouse models with either a stellate cell-specific beta-PDGFR knockout or the expression of an autoactivating mutation respectively. Liver injury and fibrosis were induced in two mechanistically distinct models: carbontetrachloride (CCl4) treatment and ligation of the common bile duct. Hepatocarcinogenesis with underlying liver injury/fibrosis was assessed by a single dose of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) followed by repeated injections of CCl4. Genome-wide expression profiling was performed isolated stellate cells from these models to determine deregulated pathways. Results: Depletion of beta-PDGFR in hepatic stellate cells led to decreased histological liver injury, serum transaminases, collagen alpha 1(I) and alpha smooth muscle actin expression, and collagen deposition. Stellate cell proliferation was significantly reduced after acute hepatic injury in vivo. In contrast, autoactivation of beta-PDGFR in stellate cells accelerated liver fibrosis, most prominently after 6 weeks of CCl4 induced injury. There was no difference in development of DEN-induced pre-neoplastic loci according to the status of beta-PDGFR. Conclusions: Depletion of beta-PDGFR in hepatic stellate cells attenuated the development of liver injury, fibrosis, and stellate cell proliferation in multiple animal models, whereas the constitutive activation of beta-PDGFR enhanced fibrosis. However, manipulation of beta-PDGFR alone did not reduce development of dysplastic nodules. These findings indicate that titration of receptor beta-PDGFR expression on stellate cells parallels fibrosis and injury, but may not impact the development of hepatic neoplasia alone. Hepatic stellate cells were isolated from liver of beta-PDGFR-wild-type or knockout mice, and treated with beta-PDGF ligand or vehicle control.

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Amniotic Fluid Reduces Liver Fibrosis By Attenuating Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation

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