Transcriptomic Profiling Reveals that Oleanolic Acid Alleviates Liver Fibrosis by Modulating Macrophage Polarization via FOSB
This project aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which the natural compound Oleanolic Acid ameliorates liver fibrosis, with a focus on its regulatory role in macrophage polarization. We employed RNA sequencing to analyze the transcriptomic alterations in macrophages upon OA treatment. The experimental design involved using the human monocytic cell line THP-1, which was induced to polarize by conditioned medium from TGF-beta-stimulated human hepatic stellate cells to mimic the fibrotic microenvironment. The experimental group received additional OA treatment. By comparing the gene expression profiles between the "NC" group and the "OA" group, we identified differentially expressed genes upon OA intervention. Bioinformatic analysis suggested that the transcription factor FOSB might be a key downstream target of OA. Subsequent functional validation experiments confirmed that manipulating FOSB expression partially rescues OA's inhibitory effects on macrophage polarization and its anti-fibrotic efficacy. This dataset provides a valuable transcriptomic resource and offers novel insights into the immunomodulatory mechanism of OA and the treatment of liver fibrosis.