Expression and function of the atypical cadherin Fat1 in liver fibrosis

The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) is a key event of hepatic fibrosis, and previous studies found that cadherin expression is altered in activated hepatic stellate cells. Fat1 is an atypical cadherin of more than 500kDa and is characterized by large extracellular domains. The aim of this study was to assess the expression and function of Fat1 in liver fibrosis. Method and Results: Hepatic Fat1 expression was assessed in two different murine models of chronic liver injury: (i) the bile duct ligation model (BDL) and (ii) a dietary model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In both models we observe…