Elk-3 Contributes to the Progression of Liver Fibrosis by Regulating the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition.
- Author:
Tian Zhu LI
1
;
Sung Min KIM
;
Wonhee HUR
;
Jung Eun CHOI
;
Jung Hee KIM
;
Sung Woo HONG
;
Eun Byul LEE
;
Joon Ho LEE
;
Seung Kew YOON
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; Elk-3; Liver cirrhosis; Early growth response-1; MAPK pathway
- MeSH: Animals; Blotting, Western; Cell Line; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition*; Gene Silencing; Hepatocytes; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Liver Cirrhosis*; Liver*; Mice; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Phosphorylation; RNA, Small Interfering; Transforming Growth Factors
- From:Gut and Liver 2017;11(1):102-111
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: BACKGROUND/AIMS: The role of Elk-3 in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) during liver fibrogenesis remains unclear. Here, we determined the expression of Elk-3 in in vitro and in vivo models and in human liver fibrotic tissues. We also investigated the molecular relationships among Elk-3, early growth response-1 (Egr-1), and the mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway during EMT in hepatocytes. METHODS: We established anin vitro EMT model in which normal mouse hepatocyte cell lines were treated with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and a CCl4-induced liver fibrosis model. Characteristics of EMT were determined by evaluating the expression levels of related markers. The expression of Elk-3 and its target Egr-1 were analyzed using Western blotting. Gene silencing of Elk-3 was performed using an siRNA knockdown system. RESULTS: The expression levels of mesenchymal markers were increased during TGF-β1-induced EMT of hepatocytes. The expression levels of Elk-3 and Egr-1 were significantly (p<0.05) increased during the EMT of hepatocytes, in CCl₄-induced mouse liver fibrotic tissues, and in human liver cirrhotic tissues. Silencing of Elk-3 and inhibition of the Ras-Elk-3 pathway with an inhibitor suppressed the expression of EMT-related markers. Moreover, Elk-3 expression was regulated by p38 MAPK phosphorylation during EMT. CONCLUSIONS: Elk-3 contributes to the progression of liver fibrosis by modulating the EMT via the regulation of Egr-1 under MAPK signaling.
