上皮细胞-间质细胞转变在肝纤维化中的作用

上皮细胞-间质细胞转变(epithelial-mesenchymal transition,EMT)是指在一定条件下上皮细胞失去上皮细胞的特征而获得成纤维细胞典型特点的变化过程。EMT在肾纤维化、肺纤维化研究较多,也有可能在肝纤维化时发生重要作用。肝星状细胞(hepatic stellate cells,HSCs)被认为是肝脏中成纤维细胞的主要来源,而肝实质上皮细胞的肝细胞在肝纤维化过程中的病理生理作用一直被忽略。在肝纤维化过程中,很可能也伴随有肝细胞的间质变,即有EMT的发生。因此,如果从肝纤维化时可能发生EMT的多个环节探索其阻断措施及其对肝纤维化的影响,将有助于了解肝纤维化的发病机制以及EMT在肝纤维化诊断中的价值,为肝纤维化的病因研究和建立有效的预防控制措施提供依据。

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatic fibrosis

Epithelial-mesenchymal cell transformation(EMT) is a process of epithelial cells losing their traits and acquiring traits of fibroblast under certain circumstances,which mainly occurs in fibrosis of the kidney,lung and other organs,as reported by many literatures.Hepatic stellate cells(HSCs) are the main origin of fibroblasts in the liver;however,the pathophysiological roles of hepatic epithelial cells in liver fibrosis are thought to be negligible.It is likely that EMT of hepatocytes may also take place during hepatic fibrosis.Therefore,to study EMT of hepatocytes and its mechanisms in the liver may provide new targets for prevention,diagnosis and treatment of liver cirrhosis.