Integrin Beta 1 Establishes Liver Microstructure and Modulates Transforming Growth Factor Beta During Liver Development and Regeneration
February 2021
in “
American Journal Of Pathology
”
TLDR Integrin β1 is crucial for liver structure and function, preventing fibrosis.
The study demonstrated that integrin β1 was crucial for maintaining liver microstructure and preventing fibrosis by regulating TGF-β signaling. Deleting integrin β1 disrupted liver architecture, increased TGF-β expression, and led to fibrosis in both embryonic and adult mice. Integrin β1 was essential for proper liver regeneration post-injury and modulated matrix-modifying proteins, decreasing MMP-13 and increasing TIMP-1, contributing to a profibrotic state. These findings highlighted the importance of hepatocyte-ECM interactions and suggested that targeting integrin β1 pathways could be a potential therapeutic strategy for liver fibrosis.
