The Effects Of Soluble Egg Antigen Of Schistosoma Japonicum On Hepatic Stellate Cells

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of Schistosoma japonicum soluble egg antigen (SEA) on activation and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells.Methods The effect of SEA on proliferation of HSCs was assessed by MTT assay and cell cycle analysis. The effect of SEA on deactivation of HSCs was assessed using Western blot and qRT-PCR. The effect of SEA on apoptosis of HSCs was assessed by ELISA, Annexin-V/PI double staining, Western blot and qRT-PCR.Results SEA induced morphologic changes of LX-2, inhibited cell proliferation and arrested the cell cycle in G0/G1phase. The expression of a-SMA was decreased and the expression of PPARγ was increased in the hepatic stellate cells treated with SEA. The expressions of TGFβ1, TGFβR Ⅰ, TGFβR Ⅱ and Smad4were decreased after treated by SEA. The SEA-induced down-regulation of Smad4and a-SMA could be antagonized by PPARy antagonist. SEA induced HSCs apoptosis and increased the expressions of Caspase3and Caspase8. SEA-induced apoptosis of activated HSCs could be inhibited by Pan Caspase inhibitor. SEA increased the expressions of TNF-α, TNFR1, DR5, Fas, FasL and TRAIL.Conclusions The activation of hepatic stellate cells could be inhibited by SEA trough PPARγ-TGFβ signaling. SEA induced HSCs apoptosis and the effect was associated with Caspase signaling.