The Role of Lipin-1 in the Regulation of Fibrogenesis and TGF-β Signaling in Hepatic Stellate Cells.

The adipogenic transcriptional regulation was reported to inhibit transdifferentiation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which constitute the main fibrogenic cell type in the liver. Lipin-1 exhibits a dual function: an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of phosphatidate to diacylglycerol and a transcriptional regulator. However, the involvement of Lipin-1 in the regulation of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling and fibrogenesis in HSCs is not fully understood.

Isorhamnetin attenuates liver fibrosis by inhibiting TGF-β/Smad signaling and relieving oxidative stress.

Hepatic fibrosis is considered integral to the progression of chronic liver diseases, leading to the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is the dominant event in hepatic fibrogenesis. We investigated the ability of isorhamnetin, the 3'-O-methylated metabolite of quercetin, to protect against hepatic fibrosis in vitro and in vivo.

Alginate oligosaccharide enhances LDL uptake via regulation of LDLR and PCSK9 expression.

The hepatic low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLR) plays a crucial role in lipoprotein metabolism by lowering the plasma LDL-cholesterol concentration, which reduces the risk for cardiovascular diseases. Although alginate oligosaccharide (AOS), prepared from degradation, has several pharmacological effects, it is not known whether AOS affects lipoprotein metabolism. This study was conducted to investigate whether AOS up-regulated LDLR expression and LDL uptake in vitro and in vivo, and the underlying molecular mechanism.

The chalcone compound isosalipurposide (ISPP) exerts a cytoprotective effect against oxidative injury via Nrf2 activation.

The chalcone compound isosalipurposide (ISPP) has been successfully isolated from the native Korean plant species Corylopsis coreana Uyeki (Korean winter hazel). However, the therapeutic efficacy of ISPP remains poorly understood. This study investigated whether ISPP has the capacity to activate NF-E2-related factor (Nrf2)-antioxidant response element (ARE) signaling and induce its target gene expression, and to determined the protective role of ISPP against oxidative injury of hepatocytes.

Regulation of Toll-like receptor-mediated Sestrin2 induction by AP-1, Nrf2, and the ubiquitin-proteasome system in macrophages.

The Sestrin2 (Sesn2) is an evolutionary conserved enzyme that scavenges reactive oxygen species and regulates autophagy through the AMPK-mTOR pathway. The present study was aimed at determining whether Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling regulates Sesn2 expression and identifying the underlying molecular mechanism. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a representative TLR4 ligand, significantly increased the levels of Sesn2 protein in macrophages.