Small- and intermediate-conductance
Ca2+-activated K+ channels, KCa2.3 and KCa3.1, are involved in cellular signaling processes associated with
inflammation and
fibrosis. KCa2.3 and KCa3.1 are upregulated by proinflammatory
cytokines and profibrotic
growth factors.
Cyclic AMP, which downregulates KCa2.3 and KCa3.1, is elevated by
modafinil in cells; accordingly, we investigated whether
modafinil exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic responses via KCa2.3- and KCa3.1-mediated pathways in high-fat diet (HFD)- or
thioacetamide-induced
liver disease models in mice.
Modafinil was administered orally in the form of a racemate, (R)-isomer, or (S)-isomer. We also determined whether the treatment targeted the profibrotic activity of hepatic stellate cells using immortalized human hepatic stellate cells (LX-2 cells).
Modafinil improved HFD- or
thioacetamide-induced changes compared to the control, leading to a reduced inflammatory response,
collagen deposition, and α-smooth muscle actin expression both in vivo and in vitro. However,
modafinil did not relieve HFD-induced steatosis. There were no significant differences in the effects of the (R)- and (S)-isomers of
modafinil. KCa2.3 and KCa3.1 were upregulated and
catalase was downregulated in liver tissues from
thioacetamide- or HFD-induced
liver disease models or in TGF-β-treated LX-2 cells. TGF-β-induced upregulation of KCa2.3, KCa3.1,
collagen, and α-smooth muscle actin and downregulation of
catalase were reversed by
modafinil,
polyethylene glycol catalase,
N-acetylcysteine,
siRNA against KCa2.3 or KCa3.1, and
Epac inhibitors. Our investigation revealed that
modafinil attenuated inflammatory and fibrotic progression via KCa2.3- and KCa3.1-mediated pathways in nonalcoholic
hepatitis, suggesting that inhibiting KCa2.3- and KCa3.1-mediated signaling may serve as a novel therapeutic approach for inflammatory and fibrotic
liver diseases.