title: Expression of heat shock protein 47, transforming growth factor-beta 1, and connective tissue growth factor in liver tissue of patients with Schistosoma japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis.
abstract: SUMMARY To detect the expression of pro-fibrotic molecules, such as heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in liver specimens, and analyse their correlations with the progression of schistosomal hepatic fibrosis, liver biopsy was performed in 42 chronic schistosomiasis (CS) patients, 16 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and five healthy individuals (HI). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses displayed that the expression of Hsp47, TGF-β1 and CTGF was increased in CS and CHB patients compared with HI. Using real-time PCR, the mRNA levels of Hsp47, TGF-β1 and CTGF were higher in CS patients compared with HI. In CS patients, the mRNA levels of these genes were correlated with the stage of fibrosis, and TGF-β1 mRNA expression was associated with the grade of inflammation. Additional analyses indicated that the mRNA levels of Hsp47 and CTGF were highly correlated with liver stiffness value and spleen thickness diameter, both of which represented the severity of fibrosis. In conclusion, the three molecules are involved in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis infected by Schistosoma japonicum. TGF-β1 participates not only in the inflammatory process, but also in the fibrotic process in which Hsp47 and CTGF probably play a key role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan, Hubei, 430030,China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan, Hubei, 430030,China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan, Hubei, 430030,China.
authors.forename: Jiaquan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan, Hubei, 430030,China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency,Xiangyang No.1 People's Hospital,Xiangyang, Hubei, 442000,China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan, Hubei, 430030,China.
authors.forename: Hongwu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan, Hubei, 430030,China.
authors.forename: Xiangxue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan, Hubei, 430030,China.
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan, Hubei, 430030,China.
authors.forename: Guo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan, Hubei, 430030,China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ning
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D050958:HSP47 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050958:HSP47 Heat-Shock Proteins; C494660:SERPINH1 protein, human; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor
keywords: connective tissue growth factor