Han QJ, Mu YL, Zhao HJ, Zhao RR, Guo QJ, Su YH, Zhang J. Fasudil prevents liver fibrosis
via activating natural killer cells and suppressing hepatic stellate cells.
World J Gastroenterol 2021;
27:3581-3594. [PMID:
34239271 PMCID:
PMC8240055 DOI:
10.3748/wjg.v27.i24.3581]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Fasudil, as a Ras homology family member A (RhoA) kinase inhibitor, is used to improve brain microcirculation and promote nerve regeneration clinically. Increasing evidence shows that Rho-kinase inhibition could improve liver fibrosis.
AIM
To evaluate the anti-fibrotic effects of Fasudil in a mouse model of liver fibrosis induced by thioacetamide (TAA).
METHODS
C57BL/6 mice were administered TAA once every 3 d for 12 times. At 1 wk after induction with TAA, Fasudil was intraperitoneally injected once a day for 3 wk, followed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, sirius red staining, western blotting, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and immune cell activation was assayed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Furthermore, the effects of Fasudil on hepatic stellate cells and natural killer (NK) cells were assayed in vitro.
RESULTS
First, we found that TAA-induced liver injury was protected, and the positive area of sirius red staining and type I collagen deposition were significantly decreased by Fasudil treatment. Furthermore, western blot and qPCR assays showed that the levels of alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) were inhibited by Fasudil. Moreover, flow cytometry analysis revealed that NK cells were activated by Fasudil treatment in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, Fasudil directly promoted the apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation of hepatic stellate cells by decreasing α-SMA and TGF-β1.
CONCLUSION
Fasudil inhibits liver fibrosis by activating NK cells and blocking hepatic stellate cell activation, thereby providing a feasible solution for the clinical treatment of liver fibrosis.
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