Effects of rosiglitazone on Kruppul-like factor 6 (KLF6) signaling in the livers of rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver fibrosis / 中华肝脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of rosiglitazone on Kruppule-like factor 6 (KLF6) and its target gene TGFâ1 during the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver fibrosis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Thirty-six Wistar rats were divided into three groups a control group, a high fat model group and an intervention group. Their blood serum TG, FFA, AST, ALT, HA, LN and CIV were measured. Hepatic expressions of KLF6, TGFbeta1 and alpha-SMA were detected by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The pathological features and the degree of liver fibrosis before and after the rosiglitazone intervention were also studied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The contents of TG, FFA, AST, ALT, HA, LN and CIV, the expression of KLF6, TGFbeta1 and alpha-SMA mRNA, and the degree (score) of liver fibrosis at the 24th week in the model group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.01) but they were lower in the rosiglitazone intervention group (P<0.05). The protein expression of a-SMA was also lower in the intervention group compared with that of the model group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Rosiglitazone, to a certain extent, can inhibit KLF6-TGFbeta1 signal transduction by inducing expression of PPAR-gamma, and then inhibit the activation of hepatic stellate cells and minimize hepatic fibrosis.</p>