biostudies-literatureXuan JNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaJiangsu Province 333 High-level Talent Training ProjectMedical Research Project of Jiangsu Commission of Health3480-3490https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7781632biostudies-literatureUnknown19(24)Crocin is the main monomer of saffron, which is a momentous component of traditional Chinese medicine Lang Qing A Ta. Here, we tried to probe into the role of crocin in liver fibrosis. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Sirius Red staining were used to observe the pathological changes of liver tissues. After hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were isolated from liver tissues, lnc-LFAR1, MTF-1, GDNF, and α-SMA expressions were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to detect α-SMA expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to analyze the binding of MTF-1 to the GDNF promoter. Moreover, the dual-luciferase reporter gene, RNA pull-down, and RNA immunoprecipitation were used to clarify the interaction between MTF-1 and GDNF, lnc-LFAR1 and MTFCell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.)Crocin inhibits the activation of mouse hepatic stellate cells via the lnc-LFAR1/MTF-1/GDNF pathway.PMC7781632BRA2018408No. 81704196H2019073Qiu YYang YShao MWang FQin FXuan JZhai QZhu DCheng ZfalseCrocin inhibits the activation of mouse hepatic stellate cells via the lnc-LFAR1/MTF-1/GDNF pathway.Crocin is the main monomer of saffron, which is a momentous component of traditional Chinese medicine Lang Qing A Ta. Here, we tried to probe into the role of crocin in liver fibrosis. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Sirius Red staining were used to observe the pathological changes of liver tissues. After hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were isolated from liver tissues, lnc-LFAR1, MTF-1, GDNF, and α-SMA expressions were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to detect α-SMA expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to analyze the binding of MTF-1 to the GDNF promoter. Moreover, the dual-luciferase reporter gene, RNA pull-down, and RNA immunoprecipitation were used to clarify the interaction between MTF-1 and GDNF, lnc-LFAR1 and MTF2020-01-01T00:00:00Z2020 Dec2025-04-20T03:42:28.412Z2022-02-11T13:27:46.519ZS-EPMC77816323329524610.1080/15384101.2020.1848064