Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
Inflammation. 2013 Jun;36(3):539-48. doi: 10.1007/s10753-012-9575-x.
Septin4, a member of polymerizing GTP-binding proteins family, is reported to be involved in cytoskeletal organization in mitosis, apoptosis, fibrosis, and other cellular processes. Since various Septin4 expression patterns were reported in different diseases, this study aimed to investigate Septin4 expression in human LX-2 cell line stimulated by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and attempted to clarify the relationship between Septin4 and hepatic inflammatory injury and fibrosis. In this subject, human stellate cell line LX-2 was stimulated by LPS. The expression of Septin4 was analyzed by Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR. To observe the relationship among Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), TGF-β, and Septin4, proteins from the anti-TLR4 antibody blocked cells, as well as the TGF-β-induced cells, were analyzed by the method of Western blot. As the results, LPS could induce the alteration of α-smooth muscle actin and Septin4 expression in LX-2 cells. Septin4 expression was regulated by LPS stimulation through TLR4 and TGF-β pathway. These results therefore suggest that Septin4 may be involved in the process of activation of hepatic stellate cells by LPS stimulation. Further work would focus on the function of Septin4 in hepatic inflammatory injury and fibrosis.
Septin4 是聚合 GTP 结合蛋白家族的成员，据报道参与有丝分裂、细胞凋亡、纤维化和其他细胞过程中的细胞骨架组织。由于不同的 Septin4 表达模式在不同的疾病中被报道，本研究旨在研究 LPS 刺激的人 LX-2 细胞系中 Septin4 的表达，并试图阐明 Septin4 与肝炎症损伤和纤维化之间的关系。在本研究中，用人肝星状细胞系 LX-2 刺激 LPS。通过 Western blot 和定量实时 PCR 分析 Septin4 的表达。为了观察 Toll 样受体 4 (TLR4)、TGF-β 和 Septin4 之间的关系，用抗 TLR4 抗体阻断细胞以及 TGF-β 诱导的细胞进行 Western blot 分析。结果表明，LPS 可诱导 LX-2 细胞中 α-平滑肌肌动蛋白和 Septin4 表达的改变。LPS 通过 TLR4 和 TGF-β 途径刺激调节 Septin4 的表达。因此，这些结果表明 Septin4 可能参与 LPS 刺激肝星状细胞激活的过程。进一步的工作将集中在 Septin4 在肝炎症损伤和纤维化中的功能上。
