Tauroursodeoxycholic acid shows converse effects on TGF-β-Smad 3 signaling in liver cells

Aims: Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) has a positive effect on cholestatic liver disease especially with autoimmune etiology, which seems to be further enhanced by a combination with locally active corticosteroids. TGF-β, a master cytokine of liver fibrosis, activates hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and induces extracellular matrix components in vivo and in vitro. Our recent studies with HSC showed that glucocorticoids (GC) and their receptor (GR) interact with the TGF-β-Smad 3 pathway, which leads to an inhibition of TGF-β effects. Aim of the present study was to investigate if TUDCA interacts with TGF-β-Smad 3…