Dataset Information

CREPT aggravates liver fibrosis through TGF-β activated-Smad2/3 but not Smad4 in hepatocytes

ABSTRACT: Background & Aims: Liver fibrosis, a serious medical condition with limited therapies, frequently progresses to cirrhosis and other severe complications. Here, we report that cell cycle-related and expression elevated protein in tumor (CREPT) is up-regulated in liver fibrosis. CREPT preferentially enhances transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-activated Smad2/3, rather than the canonical Smad2/3-Smad4 complex, thereby facilitating liver fibrosis progression. Methods: We analyzed public transcriptomic and proteomic datasets from patients with liver fibrosis. Human tissue arrays and mouse models of fibrosis were used to investigate CREPT expression patterns. Hepatocyte-specific overexpression (TG-CREPT) and deletion (CREPThep-/-) mice were subjected to acute liver injury (24 h, high-dose CCl4), chronic fibrosis (28 d, low-dose CCl4), and bile duct ligation (BDL) to induce liver fibrosis. Histological, biochemical, and RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses and CUT&Tag experiments were conducted. Results: CREPT is predominantly enriched in hepatocytes and upregulated in fibrotic liver tissues from patients and mice induced by CCl4 or BDL. Overexpression of CREPT in hepatocytes exacerbates liver injury and fibrosis in mice under acute or chronic CCl4 exposure and BDL challenge. In contrast, hepatocyte-specific deletion of CREPT significantly alleviates liver fibrosis. Mechanistically, CREPT aggravates TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, preferentially interacting with Smad2/3, but not Smad4, to promote inflammatory responses, and up-regulates fibrogenic genes, including Cebpd, Fosl2 and Fn1. Intriguingly, targeting CREPT with LNP-delivered siRNA (LNP-siCREPT) and GalNAc-delivered siRNA (GalNAc-siCREPT) significantly reduces pre-existing liver fibrosis in mice. Conclusions: Our findings identify a promoting effect of CREPT on liver fibrosis through TGF-β-activated Smad2/3 but not Smad4. Targeting CREPT represents a potential therapeutic strategy for liver fibrosis.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE306355 | GEO | 2025/08/28

REPOSITORIES: GEO

ACCESS DATA

Dataset's files

Source:

			Action	DRS
		Other

Items per page:

1 - 1 of 1

Similar Datasets

Project description:Background & Aims: Rapid induction of beta-PDGF receptor (beta-PDGFR) is a core feature of hepatic stellate cell activation, the hallmark of liver fibrogenesis. However, biological consequences of the induction are not well characterized. We aimed to determine the involvement of beta-PDGFR-mediated molecular pathway activation on hepatic stellate cells in liver injury, fibrogenesis, and carcinogenesis in vivo. Methods: Loss and constitutive activation of beta-PDGFR were assessed in mouse models with either a stellate cell-specific beta-PDGFR knockout or the expression of an autoactivating mutation respectively. Liver injury and fibrosis were induced in two mechanistically distinct models: carbontetrachloride (CCl4) treatment and ligation of the common bile duct. Hepatocarcinogenesis with underlying liver injury/fibrosis was assessed by a single dose of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) followed by repeated injections of CCl4. Genome-wide expression profiling was performed isolated stellate cells from these models to determine deregulated pathways. Results: Depletion of beta-PDGFR in hepatic stellate cells led to decreased histological liver injury, serum transaminases, collagen alpha 1(I) and alpha smooth muscle actin expression, and collagen deposition. Stellate cell proliferation was significantly reduced after acute hepatic injury in vivo. In contrast, autoactivation of beta-PDGFR in stellate cells accelerated liver fibrosis, most prominently after 6 weeks of CCl4 induced injury. There was no difference in development of DEN-induced pre-neoplastic loci according to the status of beta-PDGFR. Conclusions: Depletion of beta-PDGFR in hepatic stellate cells attenuated the development of liver injury, fibrosis, and stellate cell proliferation in multiple animal models, whereas the constitutive activation of beta-PDGFR enhanced fibrosis. However, manipulation of beta-PDGFR alone did not reduce development of dysplastic nodules. These findings indicate that titration of receptor beta-PDGFR expression on stellate cells parallels fibrosis and injury, but may not impact the development of hepatic neoplasia alone. Hepatic stellate cells were isolated from liver of beta-PDGFR-wild-type or knockout mice, and treated with beta-PDGF ligand or vehicle control.

Dataset Information

CREPT aggravates liver fibrosis through TGF-β activated-Smad2/3 but not Smad4 in hepatocytes

Dataset's files

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets