Egg antigen p40 of Schistosoma japonicum promotes senescence in activated hepatic stellate cells by activation of the STAT3/p53/p21 pathway

Jinling Chen, Tianhua Xu, Dandan Zhu , Jianxin Wang , Caiqun Huang , Lei Lyu , Bin Hu , Wei Sun and Yinong Duan

Cell Death and Disease (2016) 7, e2315

Speaker: Shung-Hao Ku (顧聲豪)                                Time: 15:00~16:00, Feb, 22 2017

Commentator: Dr. Wei Chen Lin (林威辰 老師)  ) Place: Room 601

Abstract:

        Schistosoma japonicum japonicum is an important important parasite parasite and one of the major infectious agents of of schistosomiasis. Schistosomiasis is a human disease affecting over 200 million people worldwide. When When S. japonicum infect, granulomatous responses are induced by parasite eggs trapped in host organs, particular in the liver, during the acute stage of disease. While excessive liver granulomatous responses can lead to more severe fibrosis and circulatory impairment in chronically infected host [1]. Liver fibrosis is defined as the excess deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. . Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are a major source of extracellular matrix (ECM) and serve as a key regulator in liver fibrogenesis. Nevertheless, some recent reports show senescence of activated HSCs might play a role in limiting the development of liver fibrosis. In previous study, the authors have demonstrated that soluble egg antigens (SEA) from S. japonicum induced suppression of activated human HSC cell lines (LX-2). SEA is a complex mixture that is composed of a number of egg antigens. Some laboratories have isolated Sjp40 (S. japonicum egg antigen p40) from SEAs. They also found Sjp40 might modulate liver fibrosis and exert an antifibrosis effect. The author have expressed and purified Sjp40 and used this antigen to stimulate LX-2 cells. The results confirmed that Sjp40 potently inhibited the activation of HSCs and combated liver fibrosis. These results show that  egg antigen p40 of S. japonicum  might carry potential therapeutic effects of restraining liver fibrosis through promoting senescence.

Reference:

1.     : Chen X, Yang X, Li Y, Zhu J, Zhou S, et al. (2014) Follicular Helper T Cells Promote Liver Pathology in Mice during Schistosoma japonicum Infection. PLoS Pathog 10(5): e1004097. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1004097