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Costunolide represses hepatic fibrosis through WW domain‐containing protein 2‐mediated Notch3 degradation
Author(s) -
Ge Maoxu,
Liu Hongtao,
Zhang Na,
Niu Weixiao,
Lu Zhenning,
Bao Yunyang,
Huang Rui,
Yu Dongke,
Shao Rongguang,
He Hongwei
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1111/bph.14873
Subject(s) - hes1 , hepatic stellate cell , in vivo , notch signaling pathway , western blot , jag1 , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro , biology , immunoprecipitation , signal transduction , chemistry , biochemistry , endocrinology , gene , genetics
Background and Purpose This study investigates the antifibrotic activities and potential mechanisms of costunolide (COS), a natural sesquiterpene compound. Experimental Approach Rats subjected to bile duct ligation and mice challenged with CCl 4 were used to study the antifibrotic effects of COS in vivo . Mouse primary hepatic stellate cells (pHSCs) and human HSC line LX‐2 also served as an in vitro liver fibrosis models. The expression of fibrogenic genes and signaling proteins in the neurogenic locus notch homologue protein 3 (Notch3)–hairy/enhancer of split‐1 (HES1) pathway was examined using western blot and/or real‐time PCR. Notch3 degradation was analysed using immunofluorescence and coimmunoprecipitation. Key Results In animals, COS administration attenuated hepatic histopathological injury and collagen accumulation and reduced the expression of fibrogenic genes. COS time‐ and dose‐dependently suppressed the levels of fibrotic markers in LX‐2 cells and mouse pHSCs. Mechanistic studies showed COS destabilized Notch3 and subsequently inhibited the Notch3–HES1 pathway, thus inhibiting HSC activation. Furthermore, COS blocked the WW domain‐containing protein 2 (WWP2)/protein phosphatase 1G (PPM1G) interaction and enhanced the effect of WWP2 on Notch3 degradation. Conclusions and Implications COS exerted potent antifibrotic effects in vitro and in vivo by disrupting the WWP2/PPM1G complex, promoting Notch3 degradation and inhibiting the Notch3/HES1 pathway. This indicates that COS may be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of liver fibrosis.