Gallbladder dysfunction caused by MYPT1 ablation triggers cholestasis-induced hepatic fibrosis in mice

The incidence of gallbladder diseases is as high as 20%, but whether gallbladder diseases contribute to hepatic disorders remains unknown.

Here, we established an animal model of gallbladder dysfunction and assessed the role of a diseased gallbladder in cholestasis-induced hepatic fibrosis (CIHF).

Mice with smooth muscle-specific deletion of Mypt1, the gene encoding the main regulatory subunit of myosin light chain phosphatase (myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 [MYPT1]), had apparent dysfunction of gallbladder motility. This dysfunction was evidenced by abnormal contractile responses, namely, inhibited cholecystokinin 8-mediated contraction and nitric oxide-resistant relaxation. As a consequence, the gallbladder displayed impaired bile filling and biliary tract dilation comparable to the alterations in CIHF. Interestingly, the mutant animals also displayed CIHF features, including necrotic loci by the age of 1 month and subsequently exhibited progressive fibrosis and hyperplastic/dilated bile ducts. This pathological progression was similar to the phenotypes of the animal model with bile duct ligation and patients with CIHF. The characteristic biomarker of CIHF, serum alkaline phosphatase activity, was also elevated in the mice. Moreover, we observed that the myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 protein level was able to be regulated by several reagents, including lipopolysaccharide, exemplifying the risk factors for gallbladder dysfunction and hence CIHF.

We propose that gallbladder dysfunction caused by myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 ablation is sufficient to induce CIHF in mice, resulting in impairment of the bile transport system.