Deletion of WISP1 leads to higher sensitivity to carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage

WISP1 (Wnt-induced secreted protein-1) is a member of the CCN family of matricellular proteins. These highly conserved and secreted proteins can interact with integrins and modulate many biological processes like migration, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. CCN proteins have been show to play divergent roles in liver pathophysiology, in spite of having very similar structural domains. Importantly, little is known about WISP1 in this context. Gene array analysis of mouse liver after acute injury by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 in C56BL/6N mice showed WISP1 mRNA upregulated during early injury pha…