Abstract
Elucidation of the mechanisms of liver fibrogenesis is important to treat liver fibrosis. In this study, we established rat models of liver fibrosis with stages from 0-1, 2, and 3-4 to 4 at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks, respectively, by injection of pig serum. Liver fibrogenesis was detected by Masson's trichrome staining. Rat non-parenchymal cells (NPCs) were enriched 4-fold by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. Protein extracts from NPCs were prepared at 4 and 8 weeks, separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis, and then stained with Coomassie Blue G-250. At 4 weeks, we identified 18 non-redundant differentially expressed proteins of which protein disulfide-isomerase associated protein 3 (PDIA3) and NDUV showed consistent expression at protein and mRNA levels from 4 to 8 weeks. PDIA3 was found to be down-regulated by Western blotting in the rat model and immunohistochemically in human liver. Our results revealed important aspects of the pathogenesis/progression of liver fibrosis and demonstrated important changes in protein expression levels of NPCs at various stages of liver fibrosis.