Human menstrual blood-derived stem cells secreted ECM1 directly interacts with LRP1α to ameliorate hepatic fibrosis through FoxO1 and mTOR signaling pathway.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Human menstrual blood-derived stem cells (MenSCs), a major class of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), modulate intercellular signals via paracrine factors. Previous studies found that MenSC-derived secretomes exert protective effects against liver fibrosis. However, the underlying mechanisms of these observations remain unclear.

Methods

Extracellular Matrix Protein 1 (ECM1), identified in MenSCs culture medium using mass spectrometry, was employed to stably overexpress ECM1-HA or silence in MenSCs using lentiviral vectors. These genetically engineered cells were either intravenously injected into the carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver fibrosis mice or co-cultured with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs)-LX-2. The interaction between ECM1 and low-density l

SUBMITTER: Fang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12060366 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature