PDGF isoform expression in carbon tetrachloride induced chronic liver injury

Aims: Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) plays an important role in liver fibrogenesis, whereby PDGF-B and –D act as potent mitogens in culture-activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC) (1, 2). Induction of PDGFR-beta in HSC has been well documented in single dose CCL4 induced acute liver injury and in early bile duct ligated models in vivo (3). Of the newly discovered Isoforms PDGF-C and -D, only PDGF-D shows significant upregulation in BDL rat model (2). We further investigated the expression of PDGF isoforms and their receptors in chronic liver injury through long term repeated dosing of CCl4 in rats.