title: Visfatin: an adipokine activator of rat hepatic stellate cells.
abstract: The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of visfatin on the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and the possible underlying mechanism. HSC were isolated from the livers of Sprague‑Dawley rats by in situ perfusion of collagenase and pronase and a single‑step density Nycodenz gradient. The culture‑activated cells were serum‑starved and incubated with different concentrations of recombinant visfatin (0, 25, 50, 100 or 200 ng/ml) for 24 h. The expression of α‑smooth muscle actin (α‑SMA), collagen types I and III and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) were then measured by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) and western blot analysis. The results demonstrated that 100 and 200 ng/ml concentrations of visfatin induced the expression of α‑SMA in culture‑activated rat HSC, which was accompanied by a significant increase in collagen types I and III, as confirmed by western blot and RT‑qPCR analyses. In addition, treatment of the HSC with certain concentrations of visfatin upregulated the expression of CTGF. These findings suggested that visfatin activated HSC and induced the production of collagen types I and III.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ning-Lin
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ruoting
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Men
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat