Hedgehog-Gli信号通路在肝星状细胞激活中的作用

The mechanism of Hedgehog-Gli signal pathway in activation of hepatic stellate cell

Hedgehog信号通路是生物体内重要的调节昆虫和哺乳动物胚胎发育的经典通路之一。其调控发育过程中及组织损伤过程中干细胞的分化、移行和增殖。肝纤维化是慢性肝脏疾病共同的病理过程,也是慢性肝病向肝硬化发展的必经阶段,其核心环节为肝星状细胞的异常活化。然而长期以来Hedgehog通路在肝纤维化过程中对肝星状细胞的调控作用未得到认识。近年来,学者逐渐意识到经典的Hedgehog信号通路与肝星状细胞的活化有关,然而作用机制尚不明确。

The Hedgehog （Hh） pathway is one of important signaling cascades that direct proper development in insects and mammals. Hh pathway regulates stem cell differentiation, migration and proliferation during development and tissue injury. Hepatic fibrosis is a common pathological process in chronic liver disease, but also an essential step during the development of chronic liver disease to cirrhosis. The core aspect of hepatic fibrosis is the abnormal activation of hepatic stellate cells. However, little is known how the Hh pathway regulates the hepatic stellate cells in the process of liver fibrosis. In recent years, the association between the classical Hh signaling pathway and activation of hepatic stellate cells is recoginzed but the mechanism is still not clear.