Human Liver Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Target Hepatic Stellate Cells and Attenuate Their Pro-fibrotic Phenotype.

ABSTRACT: Liver fibrosis occurs in response to chronic liver injury and is characterized by an excessive deposition of extracellular matrix. Activated hepatic stellate cells are primarily responsible for this process. A possible strategy to counteract the development of hepatic fibrosis could be the reversion of the activated phenotype of hepatic stellate cells. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized membrane vesicles involved in intercellular communication. Our previous studies have demonstrated that EVs derived from human liver stem cells (HLSCs), a multipotent population of adult stem cells of the liver with mesenchymal-like phenotype, exert in vivo anti-fibrotic activity in the liver. However, the mechanism of action of these EVs remains to be determined. We set up an in vitro

SUBMITTER: Chiabotto G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8593217 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature