The CSRP2-Promoter: A Tool for Transcriptional Targeting of Hepatic Stellate Cells During Liver Fibrogenesis?

Introduction: An initial key event in liver fibrogenesis is the activation of quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and their transdifferentiation into a proliferative, myofibroblast like cell type (MFB). During this process several genes are differentially expressed and their regulatory units may be useful tools for antifibrotic strategies, which target HSC specifically. The LIM-domain protein cyteine- and glycine-rich protein 2 encoding gene (CSRP2) is within rat liver cell subpopulations solely expressed in activated HSC and downregulated in MFB. The aim of this study was the proof of the ability of human (h…