Volume 39, Issue 7 pp. 1403-1412
Original Article - Hepatology (Experimental)

TET1 inhibits liver fibrosis by blocking hepatic stellate cell activation

Jingjie Wang

Jingjie Wang

Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Co-first author: Jingjie Wang, Yitong ZhangSearch for more papers by this author
Yitong Zhang

Yitong Zhang

Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Co-first author: Jingjie Wang, Yitong ZhangSearch for more papers by this author
Yanyun Ma

Yanyun Ma

State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Six-sector Industrial Research Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

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Suhan Zhao

Suhan Zhao

Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

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Jiucun Wang

Jiucun Wang

State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

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Hongtan Chen

Corresponding Author

Hongtan Chen

Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Correspondence

Jie Liu, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.

Email: [email protected]

Jun Zhang, Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.

Email: [email protected]

Hongtan Chen, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou,310002, China.

Email: [email protected]

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Jun Zhang

Corresponding Author

Jun Zhang

Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Correspondence

Jie Liu, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.

Email: [email protected]

Jun Zhang, Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.

Email: [email protected]

Hongtan Chen, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou,310002, China.

Email: [email protected]

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Jie Liu

Corresponding Author

Jie Liu

Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Correspondence

Jie Liu, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.

Email: [email protected]

Jun Zhang, Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.

Email: [email protected]

Hongtan Chen, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou,310002, China.

Email: [email protected]

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First published: 18 February 2024
Citations: 4

Declaration of conflict of interest: No conflict of interest is declared in the submission of this manuscript.

Author contributions: All authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript for publication.

Abstract

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are critical regulator contributing to the onset and progression of liver fibrosis. Chronic liver injury triggers HSCs to undergo vast changes and trans-differentiation into a myofibroblast HSCs, the mechanism remains to be elucidated. This study investigated that the involvement of hydroxymethylase TET1 (ten–eleven translocation 1) in HSC activation and liver fibrosis. It is revealed that TET1 levels were downregulated in the livers in mouse models of liver fibrosis and patients with cirrhosis, as well as activated HSCs in comparison to quiescent HSCs. In vitro data showed that the inhibition of TET1 promoted the activation HSC, whereas TET1 overexpression inhibited HSC activation. Moreover, TET1 could regulate KLF2 (Kruppel-like transcription factors) transcription by promoting hydroxymethylation of its promoter, which in turn suppressed the activation of HSCs. In vivo, it is confirmed that liver fibrosis was aggravated in Tet1 knockout mice after CCl4 injection, accompanied by excessive activation of primary stellate cells, in contrast to wild-type mice. In conclusion, we suggested that TET1 plays a significant role in HSC activation and liver fibrosis, which provides a promising target for anti-fibrotic therapies.

Graphical Abstract

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