Cystatin C is expressed in hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and upregulated during transdifferentiation to myofibroblasts (MFB)

Introduction: Cystatin C (Cys C, Cys 3, CST 3) is a low molecular weight, basic, secreted member of the cystatin superfamily of cysteine protease inhibitors, which is supposed to be involved in tissue inflammation, neutrophil chemotaxis and protection of metalloproteinases (MMPs) from autolytic degradation. Recently, Cys C was suggested as an antagonist of TGF-β (1). We studied the expression, regulation and possible TGF-β pathway interfering effect of Cys C in cultured profibrogenic rat HSC transdifferentiating to MFB.