Subsequently, to determine the role of Galectin‑1 in liver fibrosis, the expression levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)‑β1, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and α‑smooth muscle actin (α‑SMA) pre‑ and post‑transfection were evaluated by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses.
With the severity of liver fibrosis, the expression of TGF-β, α-SMA, Smad3 and CTGF gradually increased, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01).
Intact Nlrp3<sup>A350V</sup> mutants showed changes in liver fibrosis, as evidenced by morphometric quantitation of Sirius Red staining and increased mRNA levels of profibrotic genes, including connective tissue growth factor and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1.
Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis and emerges as downstream of the profibrogenic cytokine transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β).
Experimental cholestatic liver fibrosis was associated with induced gene expression of fibrotic markers such as collagen I, fibronectin, alpha smooth muscle actin (SMA), and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF); increased inflammatory cytokines (TNF<i>α</i>, MIP1<i>α</i>, IL1<i>β</i>, and MIP2); increased oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) inducing enzymes (NOX2 and iNOS); dysfunctional mitochondrial electron chain complexes; and apoptotic/necrotic cell death markers (DNA fragmentation, caspase 3 activity, and PARP activity).
Collectively, these results provide evidence for the fibrotic role of LPCs in the liver and suggest that the Activin A-Smad-CTGF/CCN2 signaling in LPCs may be a therapeutic target of liver fibrosis.
Expression of heat shock protein 47, transforming growth factor-beta 1, and connective tissue growth factor in liver tissue of patients with Schistosoma japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis.
Finally, the levels of Twist1, miR-214, or CCN2 in circulating exosomes from fibrotic mice reflected fibrosis-induced changes in the liver itself, highlighting the potential utility of these and other constituents in serum exosomes as novel circulating biomarkers for liver fibrosis.
We advocate combined elimination of TGF-β signaling and connective tissue growth factor as a potential therapeutic target by which to attenuate liver fibrosis.
Taken together, our results provide evidence for the role of HPCs in liver fibrosis and suggest that the production of CTGF by TGF-β activated MAPK signaling in HPCs may be a therapeutic target of liver fibrosis.
After intravenous injection, CSLN/siCTGF complex was target specifically delivered to the liver and resulted in a significant reduction in collagen content and pro-fibrogenic factors like tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and CTGF with the dramatic improvement of patho-physiological symptoms in liver fibrosis model rats.
Whereas hepatic levels of CTGF/CCN2 are usually low, elevated levels of hepatic CTGF/CCN2 occur in patients with liver fibrosis and in experimental animal models of liver fibrosis.
Liver fibrosis can be induced by environmental chemicals or toxicants, and finally stimulates fibrogenic cytokines expression, such as transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and its downstream mediator connective tissue growth factor (CTGF).
We show that the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs9402373 that lies close to CTGF is associated with severe HF (P = 2 x 10(-6); odds ratio [OR] = 2.01; confidence interval of OR [CI] = 1.51-2.7) in two Chinese samples, in Sudanese, and in Brazilians infected with either Schistosoma japonicum or S. mansoni.