title: Schistosoma japonicum soluble egg antigens facilitate hepatic stellate cell apoptosis by downregulating Akt expression and upregulating p53 and DR5 expression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The induction of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) apoptosis has potential as a potent strategy to diminish the progression of liver fibrosis. Previous studies have demonstrated the ability of soluble egg antigens (SEA) from schistosomes to inhibit HSC activation and to induce apoptosis in vitro. In this study, we aimed to explore the mechanism of SEA-induced apoptosis in HSCs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, we found that SEA could upregulate p53 and DR5 and downregulate the p-Akt. The apoptosis of HSCs induced by SEA could be reduced in HSCs that were treated with p53-specific siRNA and in HSCs that were treated with DR5-specific shRNA. In addition, GW501516, which enhances the expression of Akt, could also decrease the SEA-induced HSC apoptosis. We also found that the increased expression of p53 and DR5 induced by SEA through Mdm2 were reduced by GW501516.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that SEA can induce HSC apoptosis by downregulating Akt expression and upregulating p53-dependent DR5 expression.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jianxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Feifan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dandan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yinong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jinling
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaolei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jinrong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C114109:TNFRSF21 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt