Hedgehog signaling pathway and liver injury：potential targets for drug action / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Hedgehog pathway is an osteogenesis-related signaling pathway . During embryonic development , it regulates the growth and proliferation of progenitor cells and tissue formation. This pathway can be activated during liver injury. Activated Hedge-hog signaling pathway is involved in many aspects of liver wound-healing responses, including hepatic progenitor cell pro-liferation, myofibroblast transdifferentiation, apoptosis of various types of liver cells, inflammatory reactions, and vascular remod-eling. This article reviews the research progress in the role of Hedgehog signaling pathway in liver injury and the underlying mechanisms. The potential drug targets are also discussed. This review is to provide novel insights into antifibrotic research and therapeutic targets.