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Abstract Title:

Betulinic acid attenuates liver fibrosis by inducing autophagy via the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway.

Abstract Source:

J Nat Med. 2019 Jan ;73(1):179-189. Epub 2018 Oct 30. PMID: 30377904

Abstract Author(s):

Yuan Liu, Yanmeng Bi, Chan Mo, Ting Zeng, Sha Huang, Lei Gao, Xuegang Sun, Zhiping Lv

Article Affiliation:

Yuan Liu

Abstract:

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of betulinic acid on human hepatic stellate cells in vitro and C57BL/6 mice in vivo, as well as the signaling pathways involved. In this study, we explored the effects of betulinic acid on expression of alpha smooth muscle actin and autophagy-related proteins. Betulinic acid reduced pathological damage associated with liver fibrosis, as well as serum platelet-derived growth factor and serum hydroxyproline levels. Furthermore, betulinic acid downregulated the expression of alpha smooth muscle actin and type I collagen in mouse liver and upregulated the expression of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3B and autophagy-related gene 7 at the gene and protein levels. LC3II expression was increased and alpha smooth muscle actin expression was decreased in betulinic acid-treated hepatic stellate cells. Interventions with bafilomycin A1 and mCherry-GFP-LC3 adenoviruses promoted the formation of autophagosomes in hepatic stellate cells and the development of autophagic flow. Our study found that mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase may be involved in the effects of betulinic acid on liver fibrosis. The present study suggests that betulinic acid has anti-hepatic fibrosis activity by inducing autophagy and could serve as a promising new agent for treating hepatic fibrosis.

Study Type : In Vitro Study

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