Cited by 112Liver Disease Diagnosis and TreatmentLiver physiology and pathologyLiver Diseases and Immunity

The transcription factor c-Jun/AP-1 promotes liver fibrosis during non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by regulating Osteopontin expression

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Schulien, Isabel, Hockenjos, Birgit, Schmitt-Graeff, Annette, Perdekamp, Markus Große, Follo, Marie, Thimme, Robert, Hasselblatt, Peter·2019·Cell Death & Differentiation

Abstract

Progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) from steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a key step of NASH pathogenesis. The AP-1 transcription factor c-Jun is an important regulator of hepatic stress responses, but its contribution to NASH pathogenesis remains poorly defined. We therefore addressed c-Jun expression in liver biopsies of patients with steatosis and NASH. The role of c-Jun during NASH pathogenesis was analyzed mechanistically in c-Jun mutant mice fed with a methionine- and choline-deficient diet (MCDD). Disease progression from steatosis to NASH in patients correlated with increased c-Jun expression in hepatocytes, while its expression in non-parenchymal liver cells (NPLCs) particularly correlated with fibrosis. Analysis of untreated and MCDD-fed mice lacking c-Jun in hepatocytes ( c-Jun ∆li ) revealed that c-Jun promotes hepatocyte survival, thereby protecting against the regenerative ductular reaction (DR) of Sox9/Osteopontin (Opn) co-expressing NPLCs, expression of the Opn receptor CD44 and fibrosis, which were all exacerbated in c-Jun ∆li mice. Since Opn and c-Jun were co-expressed by NPLCs in mice and patients with NASH, we wondered whether the increased fibrosis observed in c-Jun ∆li mice could be rescued by additional c-Jun deletion in NPLCs ( c-Jun ∆li* ). c-Jun ∆li* mice with NASH indeed exhibited reduced expression of Opn and CD44 in NPLCs, impaired DR and reduced fibrosis. A similar phenotype was observed in Opn knockout mice, suggesting that the observed functions of c-Jun were indeed Opn-dependent. In conclusion, c-Jun expression correlates with disease progression from steatosis to NASH in patients and exerts cell-type-specific functions in mice: In hepatocytes, it promotes cell survival thereby limiting the DR and fibrogenesis. In NPLCs, it rather promotes the DR and fibrogenesis by regulating expression of Opn and CD44.

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Authors
Schulien, I., Hockenjos, B., Schmitt-Graeff, A., Perdekamp, M. G., Follo, M., Thimme, R., & Hasselblatt, P.
Affiliations
University of Freiburg (DE)
Corresponding author
Hasselblatt, Peter
Venue
Cell Death & Differentiation
Published
2019-02-18
Volume
26
Issue
9
Pages
1688-1699
ISSN
  • 1350-9047 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5403
OpenAlex
W2913699817
Cited by
111
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 1
FWCI
8.56
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell Death and Differentiation (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Ha4314/2-3)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Liver physiology and pathology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Liver Diseases and Immunity
Keywords
c-Jun, AP-1 transcription factor, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis, osteopontin, CD44, non-parenchymal liver cells, hepatocyte viability, steatosis, methionine-choline-deficient diet, SOX9
MeSH terms
Animals, Diet, Humans, Liver Cirrhosis, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Regeneration, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun, Mice, Knockout, Disease Progression, Hyaluronan Receptors, Hepatocytes, Cell Proliferation, Mice, Osteopontin, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

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