Polydatin attenuates hepatic stellate cell proliferation and liver fibrosis by suppressing sphingosine kinase 1.

Sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) plays critical roles in the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and liver fibrosis. Our previous study found that polydatin ameliorates chronic liver injury and fibrosis by inhibiting oxidative stress. However, whether polydatin exerts an anti-fibrotic effect on liver fibrosis dependent on SphK1 signaling is unknown.

Sphingosine kinase 1 promotes liver fibrosis by preventing miR-19b-3p-mediated inhibition of CCR2.

Unlabelled: Chronic liver disease mediated by activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and Kupffer cells (KCs) leads to liver fibrosis. Here, we aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism and define the cell type involved in mediating the sphingosine kinase (SphK)1-dependent effect on liver fibrosis. The levels of expression and activity of SphK1 were significantly increased in fibrotic livers compared with the normal livers in human.