Epiplakin attenuates experimental mouse liver injury by chaperoning keratin reorganization.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Epiplakin is a member of the plakin protein family and exclusively expressed in epithelial tissues where it binds to keratins. Epiplakin-deficient (Eppk1(-/-)) mice displayed no obvious spontaneous phenotype, but their keratinocytes showed a faster keratin network breakdown in response to stress. The role of epiplakin in the stressed liver remained to be elucidated.

Methods

Wild-type (WT) and Eppk1(-/-) mice were subjected to common bile duct ligation (CBDL) or fed with a 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC)-containing diet. The importance of epiplakin during keratin reorganization was assessed in primary hepatocytes.

Results

Our experiments revealed that epiplakin is expressed in hepatocytes and cholangiocytes, and binds to keratin 8 (K8)

SUBMITTER: Szabo S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4451473 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature