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