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Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Murine Precision-Cut Liver Slices as an Ex Vivo Model of Liver Biology
Published on: March 14, 2020
PCBP2 siRNA reverses the alcohol-induced pro-fibrogenic effects in hepatic stellate cells
Ravi S Shukla1, Bin Qin, Yu-Jui Yvonne Wan
1Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2464 Charlotte Street, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA.
Purpose:
Type I collagen accumulates during liver fibrosis primarily because α-complex protein-2 (αCP(2)), encoded by the poly(rC) binding protein 2 (PCBP2) gene, binds to the 3' end of the collagen mRNA and increases its half-life. This study aimed to reverse the pro-fibrogenic effect of alcohol on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by silencing the PCBP2 gene with siRNA.
Methods:
The silencing effects of a series of predesigned PCBP2 siRNAs were evaluated in the rat hepatic stellate cell line, HSC-T6. The pro-fibrogenic effects of alcohol on the expression levels of PCBP2 and type-I collagen were examined by several methods. The effect of PCBP2 siRNA on the stability of type I collagen α1(I) mRNA was investigated by an in vitro mRNA decay assay.
Results:
We identified one potent PCBP2 siRNA that reversed the alcohol-induced expression of PCBP2 in HSCs. The decay rate of the collagen α1(I) mRNA increased significantly in HSCs treated with the PCBP2 siRNA.
Conclusion:
This study provides the first evidence that alcohol up-regulates the expression of PCBP2, which subsequently increases the half-life of collagen α1(I) mRNA. Silencing of PCBP2 using siRNA may provide a promising strategy to reverse the alcohol-induced pro-fibrogenic effects in HSCs.
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