Anthony, BarrieMathieson, WilliamBorges, William de CastroAllen, Jeremy2015-03-162015-03-162010ANTHONY, B. et al. Schistosoma mansoni: egg-induced downregulation of hepatic stellate cell activation and fibrogenesis. Experimental Parasitology, v. 124, p. 409-420, 2010. Disponível em: <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014489409003452>. Acesso em: 08 nov. 2014.0014-4894http://www.repositorio.ufop.br/handle/123456789/4651Eggs of Schistosoma mansoni trapped in human liver can lead to fibrosis. Since liver fibrosis requires activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) from a quiescent to a myofibroblastic phenotype, we investigated the effects of S. mansoni eggs on this process using in vitro co-cultures with human HSC and evaluated established biomarkers for activation and fibrosis. HSC demonstrate significantly reduced expression of a-smooth muscle actin (p < 0.001), connective tissue growth factor (p < 0.01) and type I collagen (p < 0.001) but significantly increased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-c (p < 0.01). Morphologically, HSC exhibited elongated fine cellular processes and reduced size, increased accumulation of lipid droplets and reduced expression and organization of a-smooth muscle actin and F-actin stress fibres. Additionally, schistosome eggs prevented the HSC fibrogenic response to exogenous transforming growth factor-b. In summary, schistosome eggs blocked fibrogenesis in HSC, a finding which may have implications for our understanding of the fibrotic pathology in S. mansoni infections.en-USSchistosomesLiver fibrosisRelative gene expressionImmunocytochemistryTrematodesArtigo publicado em periodicoO periódico Experimental Parasitology concede permissão para depósito deste artigo no Repositório Institucional da UFOP. Número da licença: 3550940313825.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exppara.2009.12.009