PAKISTAN
VETERINARY
JOURNAL
     
 
previous page   Pak Vet J, xxxx, xx(x): xxx   next page
 
Fenofibrate Inhibits Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Autophagy in Liver Fibrosis through the TGFΒ1/Smad3 and PPARα/cGAS/STING Pathways
 
Ziqi Cheng1,5#, Liu Fu2, Malire Yimamu1, Jiao Feng1, Liwei Wu3, Yunzhao Hu4, Jianye Wu2, Xuanfu Xu6** and Chuanyong Guo1*
 

1Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China; 2Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200060, China; 3Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200120, China; 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine-Integrated Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; 5Laboratory Animal Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China; 6Department of Gastroenterology, Shidong Hospital, Shanghai 200433, China.# Author makes the main contribution to this work.
*Corresponding author: shuanfusky@163.com (Xuanfu Xu); guochuanyong@hotmail.com (Chuanyong Guo)

Abstract   

Liver fibrosis is a typical feature of abnormal liver structure and excessive collagen deposition. It is a chronic liver disease with some potential for reversal. Nonetheless, liver fibrosis remains a formidable clinical challenge. In this study, we investigated the anti-fibrotic mechanisms of fenofibrate and its therapeutic potential in liver fibrosis. Two liver fibrosis models were established in C57BL/6 mice: one induced by intraperitoneal carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) administration for 8 weeks, and the other by bile duct ligation (BDL) for 2 weeks. The BDL procedure involved exposing the common bile duct, followed by ligation and transection between the two tied points. Fenofibrate (50 and 100mg/kg) was administered via intraperitoneal injection three times per week. Gene and protein expression levels in tissues and cells were analyzed using RT-qPCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF), and other relevant techniques. Liver tissues were utilized for histological staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that fenofibrate did not induce significant toxicity to the liver. Fenofibrate alleviated extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in BDL and CCl4-mediated liver fibrosis models and regulated the balance between tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2. Fenofibrate reduced hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation and autophagy through the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα)/cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes (STING) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1)/smad family member 3(smad3) pathways. To summarize, fenofibrate alleviated liver fibrosis through suppressing HSCs activation.

To Cite This Article: Cheng Z, Fu L, Yimamu M, Feng J, Wu L, Hu Y, Wu J, Xu X and Guo C, 2025. Fenofibrate Inhibits Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Autophagy in Liver Fibrosis through the Tgfβ1/Smad3 and Pparα/Cgas/Sting Pathways. Pak Vet J. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2025.161

 
 
   
 

ISSN 0253-8318 (Print)
ISSN 2074-7764 (Online)



scopus
 
DOI
 
DOAJ SEAL