title: Endothelin and hepatic wound healing.
abstract: Liver wound healing is a coordinated response to injury caused by infections (hepatitis) or toxins (alcohol) or other processes where activation of hepatic stellate cells are a central component. During stellate cell activation, a major phenotypic transformation occurs which leads to increased production of increased extracellular matrix proteins and smooth muscle α-actin the results is organ dysfunction due to gross architectural disruption and impaired blood flow. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is produced in increased amounts and the cellular source of ET-1 shifts from endothelial cells to stellate cells during liver injury thus setting a feedback loop which accentuates further activation, stellate cell proliferation, and production of extracellular matrix proteins. Therapy directed at intervening the ET-1 signaling pathway has significant therapeutic potential in patients with liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Al-karim
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Khimji
authors.forename: Don C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Rockey
mesh_terms: D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1