Pathological Changes in Hepatic Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells in Schistosoma japonicum -Infected Mice

Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease

article

Tingting Jiang¹  Xiaoying Wu¹  Hao Zhou¹  Yuan Hu¹  Jianping Cao¹ 

[1] National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, ,(Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of People’s Republic of China, World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases;The School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

关键词: Schistosoma japonicum;    liver sinusoidal endothelial cells;    de-differentiation;    epithelial–mesenchymal transition;    liver fibrosis;   

DOI  :  10.3390/tropicalmed8020124

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Schistosomiasis japonica is a zoonotic parasitic disease causing liver fibrosis. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) exhibit fenestrations, which promote hepatocyte regeneration and reverses the process of liver fibrosis. To investigate the pathological changes of LSECs in schistosomiasis, we established a Schistosomiasis model. The population, phenotype, and secretory function of LSECs were detected by flow cytometry at 20, 28, and 42 days post infection. The changes in LSEC fenestration and basement membrane were observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of molecules associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and fibrosis of LSECs and the liver. The flow cytometry results showed that the total LSEC proportions, differentiated LSEC proportions, and nitric oxide (NO) secretion of LSECs were decreased, and the proportion of dedifferentiated LSECs increased significantly post infection. The electron microscopy results showed that the number of fenestrate was decreased and there was complete basement membrane formation in LSECs following infection. The qPCR and Western blot results showed that EMT, and fibrosis-related indicators of LSECs and the liver changed significantly during the early stages of infection and were aggravated in the middle and late stages. The pathological changes in LSECs may promote EMT and liver fibrosis induced by Schistosoma japonicum infection.

【 授权许可】

CC BY