Vitamin D alleviates liver fibrosis by inhibiting histidine-rich calcium binding protein (HRC)

• Published in: Chemico-biological interactions 2021-01, Vol.334, p.109355-109355, Article 109355
• Main Authors: Lu, Wanyi, Li, Xiaofeng, Liu, Ning, Zhang, Yalin, Li, Ye, Pan, Yiming, Yang, Jingxin, Liu, Zuwang, Kong, Juan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Calcium-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Carbon Tetrachloride - pharmacology; Cell Line; Hepatic stellate cell; Hepatic Stellate Cells - drug effects; Hepatic Stellate Cells - metabolism; Histidine - metabolism; HRC; Humans; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Liver Cirrhosis - drug therapy; Liver Cirrhosis - metabolism; Liver fibrosis; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Smad3 Protein - metabolism; TGF-β1; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 - metabolism; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0009-2797; 1872-7786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2020.109355

Liver fibrosis may progress toward cirrhosis and cancer without effective therapy. Here, we investigated the underlying mechanism of Vitamin D as a therapeutic approach. Carbon tetrachloride (CCL4)-induced mice model and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) induced human hepatic stellate cell line LX-2 were used in vivo and in vitro. The fibrotic profiles, degree of liver injury and HRC expression were assessed by histology, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and Real-Time PCR. The proliferation of cells transfected with HRC +/+ and HRC−/- plasmids was detected by MTS and cell cycle methods. Vitamin D significantly suppressed the expression of HRC in liver fibrosis model both in vivo and in vitro (P