The etiology of liver damage imparts TGF-beta and/or IL-13 as driving force of fibrogenesis

It is discussed if profibrogenic TGF-beta signal transduction is a common feature of any chronic liver disease. Besides TGF-beta, IL-13 increases type I pro-collagen expression in cultured hepatic stellate cells. We determined Smad2 C-terminal serine phosphorylation as indicator for TGF-beta signaling by immunohistochemistry in 237 liver tissues from patients with chronic liver disease based on HBV, HCV and Schistosoma japonicum infection or due to steatosis/steatohepatitis. Phospho-Smad2 staining was pronounced in HBV patients, while it was weak or absent in HCV patients. Co-localization experiments of HBx and…