Impact of osteopontin on the development of non-alcoholic liver disease and related hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Osteopontin, a multifunctional protein and inflammatory cytokine, is overexpressed in adipose tissue and liver in obesity and contributes to the induction of adipose tissue inflammation and non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL). Studies performed in both mice and humans also point to a potential role for OPN in malignant transformation and tumour growth. To fully understand the role of OPN on the development of NAFL-derived hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we applied a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-HCC mouse model on osteopontin-deficient (Spp1^-/- ) mice analysing time points of NASH, fibrosis and HCC compared to wild-type mice.

Methods

Two-day-old wild-type and Spp1^-/- mice received a low-dose streptozotocin injection in order to ind

SUBMITTER: Nardo AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7384114 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature