Background And Aim: Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) has a proliferative effect on several types of cells. However, the role of HB-EGF on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is not clear. The present study is to investigate the regulatory effects of HB-EGF on HSC proliferation and apoptosis.
Methods: Activated primary rat HSCs and two HSC cell lines (human LX2 and rat T6) were used in this study. Four inhibitors (CRM197 to HB-EGF, AG1478 to epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR], PD98059 to mitogen-activated kinase, and LY294002 to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase) were employed to verify the pathway of HB-EGF on cell proliferation and apoptosis.
Results: HB-EGF expression was significantly increased in activated HSCs. HB-EGF increased the expressions of phospho-EGFR and ErbB4 receptors, the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt. Consequently, HB-EGF stimulated HSC proliferation and suppressed HSC apoptosis. Each individual inhibitor specifically inhibited the correlated receptor or enzyme and inhibited HSC proliferation and induced its apoptosis.
Conclusions: HB-EGF promotes HSC proliferation via activation of the EGFR and ErbB4 receptors and, subsequently, via activation of ERK and Akt. Any blockage in the chain obstructs the flow from HB-EGF to HSC proliferation. Therefore, HB-EGF is a potential therapeutic target in liver fibrosis.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jgh.12412 | DOI Listing |
Cell Rep
January 2025
Division of Cell Regulation, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Cell Engineering, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Laboratory for Stem Cell Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Tsukuba University, Ibaraki, Japan. Electronic address:
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) possess the capacity to regenerate the entire hematopoietic system. However, the precise HSC dynamics in the early post-transplantation phase remain an enigma. Clinically, the initial hematopoiesis in the post-transplantation period is critical, necessitating strategies to accelerate hematopoietic recovery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Adv Res
January 2025
Department of Prosthodontics, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, National Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, 22 Zhongguancun South Avenue, Beijing 100081, China. Electronic address:
Introduction: Periodontal diseases are prevalent among middle-aged and elderly individuals. There's still no satisfactory solution for tooth loss caused by periodontal diseases. Human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) is a distinctive subgroup of mesenchymal stem cells, which play a crucial role in periodontal supportive tissues, but their application value hasn't been fully explored yet.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Exp Med
March 2025
Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are susceptible to replication stress, which is a major contributor to HSC defects in Fanconi anemia (FA). Here, we report that HSCs relax the global chromatin by downregulating the expression of a chromatin architectural protein, DEK, in response to replication stress. DEK is abnormally accumulated in bone marrow (BM) CD34+ cells from patients with FA and in Fancd2-deficient HSCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Oncol
January 2025
Department of Radiotherapy, Southern Medical University Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Aims: Aurora kinase A (AURKA) has been implicated in promoting myeloid and renal fibrosis. This study aimed to investigate the impact and underlying mechanism of AURKA on liver fibrosis and to assess the therapeutic potential of MLN8237, a small-molecule AURKA inhibitor, in preventing liver fibrosis in mice.
Methods: The research used bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemistry staining on fibrotic liver tissues from human and mouse models to assess AURKA expression.
Nat Struct Mol Biol
January 2025
Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Thymidine kinase 1 (TK1), a crucial enzyme in DNA synthesis, is highly expressed in various cancers. However, the mechanisms underlying its elevated expression and the implications for tumor metabolism remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that activation of growth factor receptors enhances TK1 expression.
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