Genome-wide CRISPR Screening to Identify Drivers of TGF-β-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Human Hepatic Stellate Cells

ACS Chem Biol. 2022 Apr 15;17(4):918-929. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00006. Epub 2022 Mar 11.

Abstract

Liver fibrosis progression in chronic liver disease leads to cirrhosis, liver failure, or hepatocellular carcinoma and often ends in liver transplantation. Even with an increased understanding of liver fibrogenesis and many attempts to generate therapeutics specifically targeting fibrosis, there is no approved treatment for liver fibrosis. To further understand and characterize the driving mechanisms of liver fibrosis, we developed a high-throughput genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screening platform to identify hepatic stellate cell (HSC)-derived mediators of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-induced liver fibrosis. The functional genomics phenotypic screening platform described here revealed the novel biology of TGF-β-induced fibrogenesis and potential drug targets for liver fibrosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Fibrosis
  • Hepatic Stellate Cells* / metabolism
  • Hepatic Stellate Cells* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver Cirrhosis / chemically induced
  • Liver Cirrhosis / metabolism
  • Liver Cirrhosis / pathology
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta* / adverse effects
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta* / metabolism

Substances

  • Transforming Growth Factor beta