Caffeic acid phenethyl ester attenuates liver fibrosis via inhibition of TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway and induction of autophagy pathway
Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) has been reported to possess the hepatoprotective effect. This study was to investigate the mechanism underlying CAPE against liver fibrosis in a liver fibrosis model induced by toxic carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in male Sprague-Dawley rats and in vitro in CAPE (5 μM, 10 μM, 15 μM) treated hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6). We found that CAPE treatment remarkably attenuated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis by blocking the activation of HSCs as determined by the expression alternation of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, phosphorylated Smad3 (p-Smad3), collage I, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) 1. The hepatoprotective effects of CAPE were also associated with upregulation of autophasomes in HSCs as determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) detection. The in vitro study further confrimed that CAPE attenuated liver fibrogenesis via inducing authophagic markers including LC3, ATG5, Beclin 1 expressions, while inhibiting AKT/mTOR signaling in HSC-T6 cells. Thus, the protective effects of CAPE against liver fibrosis might due to the inhibition of TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling and induction of authophagy in HSCs. - Highlights: • CAPE inhibited liver fibrosis through blocking HSCs activation. • CAPE repressed the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway in liver fibrosis. • CAPE induced autophagy activities in HSCs through accumulating autophagosomes. • CAPE attenuated live fibrosis through inhibing AKT/mTOR signaling in HSCs.
- OSTI ID:
- 22696971
- Journal Information:
- Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Journal Name: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 486; ISSN BBRCA9; ISSN 0006-291X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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