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Updated: May 23, 2026

Seven Steps to Stellate Cells
Published on: May 10, 2011
Notch3 regulates the activation of hepatic stellate cells
Yi-Xiong Chen1, Zhi-Hong Weng, Shu-Ling Zhang
1Department of Hepatology and Infectious Disease, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province, China.
Aim:
To investigate whether Notch signaling is involved in liver fibrosis by regulating the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs).
Methods:
Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Notch3 in fibrotic liver tissues of patients with chronic active hepatitis. The expression of Notch3 in HSC-T6 cells treated or not with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 was analyzed by immunofluorescence staining. The expression of Notch3 and myofibroblastic marker α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen I in HSC-T6 cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-N3ICD or control vector were detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Moreover, effects of Notch3 knockdown in HSC-T6 by Notch3 siRNA were investigated by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining.
Results:
The expression of Notch3 was significantly up-regulated in fibrotic liver tissues of patients with chronic active hepatitis, but not detected in normal liver tissues. Active Notch signaling was found in HSC-T6 cells. TGF-β1 treatment led to up-regulation of Notch3 expression in HSC-T6 cells, and over-expression of Notch3 increased the expression of α-SMA and collagen I in HSC-T6 without TGF-β1 treatment. Interestingly, transient knockdown of Notch3 decreased the expression of myofibroblastic marker and antagonized TGF-β1-induced expression of α-SMA and collagen I in HSC-T6.
Conclusion:
Notch3 may regulate the activation of HSCs, and the selective interruption of Notch3 may provide an anti-fibrotic strategy in hepatic fibrosis.
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