Autophagy and Exosomes: Cross-Regulated Pathways Playing Major Roles in Hepatic Stellate Cells Activation and Liver Fibrosis
Chronic liver injury, regardless of the underlying disease, results in gradual alteration of the physiological hepatic architecture and in excessive production of extracellular matrix, eventually leading to cirrhosis Liver cellular architecture consists of different cell populations, among which hep...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.801340/full |
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| author | Eleftheria M. Mastoridou Anna C. Goussia Georgios K. Glantzounis Panagiotis Kanavaros Antonia V. Charchanti |
| author_facet | Eleftheria M. Mastoridou Anna C. Goussia Georgios K. Glantzounis Panagiotis Kanavaros Antonia V. Charchanti |
| author_sort | Eleftheria M. Mastoridou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Chronic liver injury, regardless of the underlying disease, results in gradual alteration of the physiological hepatic architecture and in excessive production of extracellular matrix, eventually leading to cirrhosis Liver cellular architecture consists of different cell populations, among which hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) have been found to play a major role in the fibrotic process. Under normal conditions, HSCs serve as the main storage site for vitamin A, however, pathological stimuli lead to their transdifferentiation into myofibroblast cells, with autophagy being the key regulator of their activation, through lipophagy of their lipid droplets. Nevertheless, the role of autophagy in liver fibrosis is multifaceted, as increased autophagic levels have been associated with alleviation of the fibrotic process. In addition, it has been found that HSCs receive paracrine stimuli from neighboring cells, such as injured hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, sinusoidal endothelial cells, which promote liver fibrosis. These stimuli have been found to be transmitted via exosomes, which are incorporated by HSCs and can either be degraded through lysosomes or be secreted back into the extracellular space via fusion with the plasma membrane. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that autophagy and exosomes may be concomitantly or reciprocally regulated, depending on the cellular conditions. Given that increased levels of autophagy are required to activate HSCs, it is important to investigate whether autophagy levels decrease at later stages of hepatic stellate cell activation, leading to increased release of exosomes and further propagation of hepatic fibrosis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T01:02:09Z |
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| id | doaj.art-65b9fcfd48a841b2901a24433a972d5e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T01:02:09Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-65b9fcfd48a841b2901a24433a972d5e2022-12-21T17:23:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2022-02-011210.3389/fphys.2021.801340801340Autophagy and Exosomes: Cross-Regulated Pathways Playing Major Roles in Hepatic Stellate Cells Activation and Liver FibrosisEleftheria M. Mastoridou0Anna C. Goussia1Georgios K. Glantzounis2Panagiotis Kanavaros3Antonia V. Charchanti4Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GreeceDepartment of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GreeceHepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Unit, Department of Surgery, University General Hospital of Ioannina and School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GreeceDepartment of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GreeceDepartment of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GreeceChronic liver injury, regardless of the underlying disease, results in gradual alteration of the physiological hepatic architecture and in excessive production of extracellular matrix, eventually leading to cirrhosis Liver cellular architecture consists of different cell populations, among which hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) have been found to play a major role in the fibrotic process. Under normal conditions, HSCs serve as the main storage site for vitamin A, however, pathological stimuli lead to their transdifferentiation into myofibroblast cells, with autophagy being the key regulator of their activation, through lipophagy of their lipid droplets. Nevertheless, the role of autophagy in liver fibrosis is multifaceted, as increased autophagic levels have been associated with alleviation of the fibrotic process. In addition, it has been found that HSCs receive paracrine stimuli from neighboring cells, such as injured hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, sinusoidal endothelial cells, which promote liver fibrosis. These stimuli have been found to be transmitted via exosomes, which are incorporated by HSCs and can either be degraded through lysosomes or be secreted back into the extracellular space via fusion with the plasma membrane. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that autophagy and exosomes may be concomitantly or reciprocally regulated, depending on the cellular conditions. Given that increased levels of autophagy are required to activate HSCs, it is important to investigate whether autophagy levels decrease at later stages of hepatic stellate cell activation, leading to increased release of exosomes and further propagation of hepatic fibrosis.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.801340/fullautophagyexosomeshepatic stellate cellsliverfibrosis |
| spellingShingle | Eleftheria M. Mastoridou Anna C. Goussia Georgios K. Glantzounis Panagiotis Kanavaros Antonia V. Charchanti Autophagy and Exosomes: Cross-Regulated Pathways Playing Major Roles in Hepatic Stellate Cells Activation and Liver Fibrosis Frontiers in Physiology autophagy exosomes hepatic stellate cells liver fibrosis |
| title | Autophagy and Exosomes: Cross-Regulated Pathways Playing Major Roles in Hepatic Stellate Cells Activation and Liver Fibrosis |
| title_full | Autophagy and Exosomes: Cross-Regulated Pathways Playing Major Roles in Hepatic Stellate Cells Activation and Liver Fibrosis |
| title_fullStr | Autophagy and Exosomes: Cross-Regulated Pathways Playing Major Roles in Hepatic Stellate Cells Activation and Liver Fibrosis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Autophagy and Exosomes: Cross-Regulated Pathways Playing Major Roles in Hepatic Stellate Cells Activation and Liver Fibrosis |
| title_short | Autophagy and Exosomes: Cross-Regulated Pathways Playing Major Roles in Hepatic Stellate Cells Activation and Liver Fibrosis |
| title_sort | autophagy and exosomes cross regulated pathways playing major roles in hepatic stellate cells activation and liver fibrosis |
| topic | autophagy exosomes hepatic stellate cells liver fibrosis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.801340/full |
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