SPOCK1 overexpression induced by platelet-derived growth factor-BB promotes hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis through the integrin α5β1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Sparc/osteonectin, cwcv, and kazal-like domain proteoglycan 1 (SPOCK1) is a matricellular protein which regulates cell proliferation, invasion, and survival but the function of SPOCK1 in liver fibrosis is obscure. In this study, we found that SPOCK1 expression increased significantly in fibrotic liver tissues and activated primary rat hepatic stellate cells (R-HSCs). SPOCK1 co-localized with α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the cytoplasm. Mechanistically, we found platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) induced SPOCK1 expression by activating the PI3K/Akt/forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) signaling pathway. Intracellular SPOCK1 downregulation decreased the HSC activation, proliferation, and migration induced by PDGF-BB. Furthermore, intracellular SPOCK1 overexpression or recombinant SPOCK1 treatment promoted HSC activation, proliferation, and migration by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Co-immunoprecipitation, double immunofluorescence staining indicated that SPOCK1 interacted with integrin α5β1, and neutralization of integrin α5β1 significantly reduced the role of recombinant SPOCK1 in HSCs. In vivo HSC-specific SPOCK1 knockdown following lentivirus administration dramatically ameliorated thioacetamide (TAA)-induced collagen deposition in rat livers. Collectively, our study indicates that SPOCK1 is crucial for hepatic fibrosis and it might be a promising therapeutic target.