Calcium channel blockers Nifedipine and Verapamil protect mouse hepatocytes from both TGF-β and ethanol dependent damage

Synthesis and activation of TGF-β and the resulting signal transduction in liver cells is critically required for progression of chronic liver disease after damage, e.g. chronic alcohol uptake. While its role in activation of hepatic stellate cells and subsequent extracellular matrix deposition is well established, not many details are currently known about profibrogenic TGF-β signaling in hepatocytes. TGF-β and ethanol rapidly induce oxidative stress in primary hepatocytes, shown by increased reactive oxygen species and reduced cellular glutathione, which probably represents the damaging effect seen after 72h,…