title: Inhibitory effect of dietary capsaicin on liver fibrosis in mice.
abstract: METHODS
  Virtually all chronic liver injuries result in the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). In their activated state, these cells are the main collagen-producing cells implicated in liver fibrosis. Capsaicin (CPS), the active compound of chili peppers, can modulate the activation and migration of HSCs in vitro. Here, we evaluated the potential protective and prophylactic effects of CPS related to cholestatic and hepatotoxic-induced liver fibrosis and its possible underlying mechanism of action.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male Balb/c mice received dietary CPS after 3 days of bile duct ligation (BDL) or before and during carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ) injections. Mice receiving dietary CPS after BDL had a significant improvement of liver fibrosis accompanied by a decrease in collagen deposition and downregulation of activation markers in isolated HSCs. In the CCl4 model, dietary CPS inhibited the upregulation of profibrogenic markers. However, CPS could not attenuate the CCl4 -induced fibrosis when it was already established. Furthermore, in vitro CPS treatment inhibited the autophagic process during HSC activation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dietary CPS has potential benefits in the therapy of cholestatic liver fibrosis and in the prophylaxis of hepatotoxic-induced liver injury.
authors.affiliation: Liver Cell Biology Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Shanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bitencourt
authors.affiliation: Liver Cell Biology Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stradiot
authors.affiliation: Liver Cell Biology Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stefaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verhulst
authors.affiliation: Liver Cell Biology Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lien
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thoen
authors.affiliation: Liver Cell Biology Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mannaerts
authors.affiliation: Liver Cell Biology Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Leo A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: van Grunsven
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000601:surgery; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D004032:Diet; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008026:Ligation; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D002211:Capsaicin
keywords: Bile duct ligation; Capsaicin; Carbon tetrachloride; Hepatic stellate cell