RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To profile the protein expression in activated rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Primary rat HSCs were isolated and cultured in vitro. After 10 days in vitro culture, the HSCs were activated. Total protein extracted from these activated HSCs were digested, and the obtained peptides were analyzed by using online 2D nanoLC-MS/MS. The identified proteins were classified according to their distributions and functions.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>1014 proteins were identified from 50 microg HSCs protein extract, the molecular weights of these proteins ranged from 7832 Da to 588,364 Da. Most of these proteins resided in nucleus, cytoskeleton, mitochondrion and endoplasmic reticulum. And these proteins were mainly involved in nucleic acid metabolism, organelle organization, signal transduction and energy generation. Among these proteins, alpha-smooth muscle actin, vimentin and desmin were specifically expressed in activated HSCs.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>To the best of our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive protein expression profile of activated rat HSCs.</p>