| 16579972 |
Kim KH, Kim HC, Hwang MY, Oh HK, Lee TS, Chang YC, Song HJ, Won NH, Park KK: The antifibrotic effect of TGF-beta1 siRNAs in murine model of liver cirrhosis. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2006 May 19;343(4):1072-8. Epub 2006 Mar 23.
Liver fibrosis results from chronic damage to the liver by chronic hepatitis, alcohol, and toxic agents. A characteristic of liver fibrosis is an accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, which distorts the hepatic architecture by forming a fibrous scar, and the subsequent development of regenerating nodules defines cirrhosis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, one of the most powerful profibrogenic mediators, plays a major role in the development of liver cirrhosis and regulates ECM gene expression and matrix degradation. This study elucidates the changes of TGF-beta1-mediated signals during liver fibrogenesis by using RNA interference. In this experiment, the TGF-beta1 siRNAs reduced the expression of TGF-beta1 in the livers of CCl (4) injection compared with those of control group, and the expression of type I collagen and alpha-smooth muscle actin was decreased. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that TGF-beta1 siRNAs inhibit TGF-beta1 expression in the murine model of liver cirrhosis and might be a good therapeutic strategy to prevent liver cirrhosis in human. |
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