Expression of c-myc was measured in biopsies of patients with liver fibrosis of different etiologies by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Primary HSC were isolated from mice with transgenic overexpression of c-myc in hepatocytes (alb-myctg) and wildtype (WT) controls and investigated for markers of cell cycle progression and fibrosis by qPCR and immunofluorescence microscopy. Liver fibrosis in WT and alb-myctg mice was induced by repetitive CCl4 treatment.
We detected strong up-regulation of hepatic c-myc in patients with advanced liver fibrosis. In return, overexpression of c-myc in alb-myctg mice resulted in increased liver collagen deposition and induction of ¦Á-smooth-muscle-actin indicating HSC activation. Primary HSC derived from alb-myctg mice showed enhanced proliferation and accelerated transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts in vitro. Accordingly, fibrosis initiation in vivo after chronic CCl4 treatment was accelerated in alb-myctg mice compared to controls.
Overexpression of c-myc is a novel marker of liver fibrosis in man and mice. We conclude that chronic induction of c-myc especially in hepatocytes has the potential to prime resident HSC for activation, proliferation and myofibroblast differentiation.