Placental growth factor silencing ameliorates liver fibrosis and angiogenesis and inhibits activation of hepatic stellate cells in a murine model of chronic liver disease.

ABSTRACT: Placental growth factor (PlGF) is a member of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family and is involved in pathological angiogenesis associated with chronic liver diseases. However, the precise mechanisms underlying PlGF signalling contributing to liver fibrosis and angiogenesis remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to assess the effect of reducing PlGF expression using small interfering RNA (siRNA) on experimental liver fibrosis and angiogenesis, and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Fibrosis was induced in mice by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄ ) for 8 weeks, and mice were treated with PlGF siRNA or non-targeting control siRNA starting two weeks after initiating CCl₄ injections. The results showed that PlGF was highly expressed in cirrho

SUBMITTER: Li X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5618674 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature