Upregulation of smooth muscle cell markers in activated hepatic stellate cells is mediated by serum response factor

Aims: Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are prominent cellular effectors of liver fibrosis, which become activated during liver injury and transdifferentiate from quiescent, fat storing cells into a proliferative myofibroblast-like cell type (MFB). This process is accompanied by modulations of gene expression. A common feature of activated HSC is upregulation of genes encoding known markers of smooth muscle cells (SMC) like α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). In SMC these genes are regulated by the ubiquitous transcription factor serum response factor (SRF) in cooperation with specific co-factors, especially myocardin.