Molecular mechanism underlying natural taurine protection against hepatic fibrosis
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 06:30
in Health & Medicine
Hepatic fibrosis (HF) occurs in most types of chronic liver diseases and approximately 25%-40% of HF cases may ultimately progress to hepatic cirrhosis. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) contribute significantly to the occurrence of HF and the activation of HSC is the key issue in the pathogenesis of HF. Taurine is a kind of important anti-injury substance in the body. Taurine has a protective effect on various types of liver injury. It has been clear that the antifibrotic mechanism of taurine may involve its inhibition of the activation and proliferation of HSCs. However, the molecular mechanism of taurine-mediated antifibrotic activity is largely unknown...