Loss of Raf kinase inhibitor protein is associated with malignant progression in hepatic fibrosis.

Abstract

Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP), besides regulating important intracellular signaling cascades, was described to be associated with progression, metastasis and prognosis in several human neoplasms. But its role in hepatic fibrogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, we found that the absence of RKIP expression significantly enhanced the proliferation of HSC-T6 cells. Reduced RKIP expression promoted the activation of HSCs and the accumulation of collagen, as evidenced by the increases in the levels of collagen I and α-smooth muscle actin. Moreover, down-regulating RKIP expression led to severe histopathological changes and collagen accumulation in hepatic tissues of rats with liver fibrosis. Furthermore, the absence of RKIP promoted the activation of ERK/MAPK pathway in vitro and in vivo. Our findings clearly demonstrate an inverse correlation between RKIP level and the degree of the liver injury and fibrosis. Loss of RKIP may be associated with malignant progression in hepatic fibrosis.

• Authors: Quanfang Huang, Ling Wei, Chunhong Liang, Jinlan Nie, Shengjuan Lu, Chunyuan Lu, Shimei Tan, Shujuan Lv, Lang Zhuo, Zhongpeng Lu, Xing Lin
• Journal: Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie (Biomed Pharmacother) Vol. 82 Pg. 669-76 (Aug 2016) ISSN: 1950-6007 [Electronic] France
• PMID: 27470410 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Actins
• Collagen Type I
• Phosphatidylethanolamine Binding Protein
• Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
• Matrix Metalloproteinases

Topics

• Actins (metabolism)
• Animals
• Blotting, Western
• Cell Line
• Cell Proliferation
• Collagen Type I (metabolism)
• Disease Progression
• Enzyme Activation
• Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases (metabolism)
• Immunohistochemistry
• Liver (enzymology, pathology)
• Liver Cirrhosis (enzymology, pathology)
• Male
• Matrix Metalloproteinases (metabolism)
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases (metabolism)
• Phosphatidylethanolamine Binding Protein (deficiency, metabolism)
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley